


The Past that Haunts You

by 18lzytwner



Series: ThunderCats Fourth Series [3]
Category: Thundercats (1985)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-01-08 08:01:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 35
Words: 24,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21232478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/18lzytwner/pseuds/18lzytwner
Summary: The ThunderCats are settling in nicely but how long will it last?  What happens when a new evil comes knocking on their door?  Third in fourth series.





	1. Chapter 1

"So are you going to do it today?" Slythe asked Lion-O as the two made their final inspection rounds on the now complete Lair. They were up in the Cat's Head, enjoying the view and the weather. Summer was finally here and with that came the hope of more comfy quarters for the ThunderCats.

"I want the day to be special. If we're moving back into the Lair today, I feel like the importance of the moment could be overshadowed," the lion admitted as they made their way back downstairs and headed for the Control Room.

"Somehow I think your news would be bigger than moving back into the Lair," the reptile gave him a look.

"She was hurt before and I don't want to rush it. I also don't want it to seem like a party favor," Lion-O told him.

"That is a good point. She is special and should be treated as such," Slythe nodded.

"What about you? I asked you a little while ago if there was anyone we could try and whisk off Plundarr but you never said if there was," the lion changed the subject.

"There is no one. My parents are too elderly to survive the trip. Not only that, if they did survive, I don't think that they'd understand my change in behavior. To everyone on Plundarr, I fought alongside Ratar-O and Mumm-Ra. I was a legend and now I'm a traitor. Perhaps it is best, for my own sanity, that I completely embrace my new family. I know that everyone still has questions about me but I'm feeling the best I've felt in years and the only way I can make everyone feel the way I do, is to be the best that I can be," Slythe admitted. Lion-O was thoroughly impressed. Therapy had really changed the Mutant and he was glad that his new friend wasn't in pain anymore.

"And if you say repeat what I just said to anyone, you'll find I can still kick your butt whelp," there was the old Slythe.

"My lips are sealed," Lion-O chuckled. Slythe smirked just as they reached the Control Room and the door opened.

"Ah there you two are. Find anything concerning?" Panthro asked.

"Nothing as far as we could see. Stood up in the Cat's Mouth and no groaning or anything," Lion-O answered.

"Saying I'm fat whelp?" Slythe gave him a look.

"Just saying that two adult males can stand up there with no immediate signs of trouble," Lion-O told him.

"Good. Tygra and Ben-Gali are making a sweep of the basement while Lynx-O's excellent hearing is being used to help Cheetara ferret out any weird noises in the mechanical room. Pumyra is itching for a nursery but she isn't very mobile given the fact that she'd due in three months pregnant," Panthro chuckled.

"What are the twins up to?" Lion-O wanted to know.

"They're on their space boards checking the exterior, especially the underside of the bridge and the moat walls. Snarf is well Snarf. He's probably driving Pumyra nuts in the Med Bay back in camp," the panther explained.

"Well then we better make sure we save her," Slythe chuckled.

"I had Lea keep an eye on them," Panthro couldn't help but smirk. The two had grown closer and one was rarely seen without the other.

"Good thing she isn't alone. If this all works out, the Evil Chasers will be leaving soon. Not sure how we can ever repay them," Lion-O said.

"You helped them bag the Lunatacs and the Mutants they've been looking for. I think you guys are even," Slythe said.

"I agree. Well all that is left to do is make sure the systems in here are up and then we should be good," the King smiled.

"The system is up with a few upgrades. We're patched into the Evil Chaser network. Easier communication with them and quicker background checks. Commander Tiberius was thinking we should have an Evil Chaser posted here on a regular basis," Panthro told them.

"Oh yeah? How'd Mandora take that?" Slythe cocked an eyebrow.

"Yeah… about that…" the panther made a face.


	2. Chapter 2

"So Mandora isn't thrilled about getting left behind here? And I thought she liked us," Cheetara commented when Lion-O filled her in later that day. The two had met up for lunch in the temporary dining room while the engineering teams were making last minute prep for reopening the Lair.

"Oh she does like us, that's not it. I think she and the Commander aren't exactly seeing eye to eye right now…" the lion trailed off.

"Ah so that's the real problem. With their time here ending, she's going to get shipped to her next duty station and he'll continue on his mission and never the two shall meet," Cheetara nodded.

"Probably. Although I have to admit, I'm confused about their relationship anyway. They definitely seemed to know each other well before when Tiberius first arrived but now Mandora seems more…" Lion-O was searching for the right word. He didn't want to say something offensive but he really wasn't sure how to phrase it properly.

"Grouchy? Yeah, I think we all noticed. She told me a story once and the more I think about it, the more I think the story was about her and the Commander," the cheetah admitted.

"Ah. Young love and what happens when career ambitions mix?" He wondered.

"Something like that. It's not exactly like they can be in a relationship and serve together. Pretty sure that's against the rules," Cheetara said.

"Technically, it's against our rules as well but given the status of our people, I'm looking the other way," Lion-O told her.

"Well technically if we intend to save the Thunderian race, we could very well be the last of our kind. That is what still bothers me about Kimoni. I was hurt. I was angry but if he was happy with Nkiru, I would have let him go, without a fight. We both were different people after the destruction of Thundera and we could not fault each other for that. Instead he left nothing but heartbreak and destruction in the wake of his actions," she heaved a sigh.

"Worse still, he must have harmed himself. For the battle cruiser to not be able to pick up his signature anywhere on this planet… I didn't want to say anything in front of Nkiru but he must have perished," Lion-O shook his head and took her right hand is his.

"Perhaps he would have benefitted from therapy as Slythe has. I guess we will never know. The only ones who do are Kimoni and the planet," Cheetara said. It wasn't exactly like a search for a body could not have been commenced. The heat signature equipment could be confused however, by the person lowering their body temperature, so a ground search was started. After a week of finding nothing, the Evil Chasers called off the on-foot search. The cheetah did not know the planet's terrain so everyone figured that they would have found him rather quickly. Still the whole experience made everyone wonder why they hadn't found him.

"Perhaps he would have benefitted. I am sorry that we will never find out," Lion-O smiled slightly at her, squeezing the hand that he still held.

"He gifted me with something that I never thought I would have again – the ability to move on and the ability to realize that I had someone right in front of me," Cheetara said. She had moved passed the heartbreak. She was the strongest person he knew and he wanted her to know that. He was about to say something when Panthro came barging into the dining room and shouted their names.

"What is it?" Lion-O asked.

"The unicorn keepers found something. You guys need to come with me," the panther said.

"Meet you at the ThunderTank in five," the King told him.


	3. Chapter 3

The ThunderTank rumbled across the terrain towards the Unicorn Forest. Slythe had joined the group before they left the Lair and rode in the passenger seat while Lion-O and Cheetara remained in the back. Once the Tank stopped, everyone climbed out. Slythe grabbed the body bag while Panthro grabbed a video camera out of one of the compartments in the back of the Tank.

"Unicorn Keepers, Panthro tells me that you have something we needed to see," Lion-O said as the couple walked up to the Tank.

"We believe we have found the one who went missing," the man said. Cheetara swallowed hard. Kimoni had been missing for a long while now and would be in a very ugly state of decomposition.

"How can you be sure?" Slythe wanted to know.

"We cannot but his the only one that no one has an accounting for correct?" The woman asked.

"As far as we know, yes," Panthro nodded.

"Then please come this way. We have not moved him," the male Unicorn Keeper said. Lion-O turned to Cheetara. He wasn't sure she'd want to see this or even need to see it. She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. She was going, whether it was a good idea or not.

The ThunderCats and Mutant followed the two Unicorn Keepers. They wound their way through the trees and Lion-O was beginning to wonder if they should have gotten back into the ThunderTank in order to reach the destination. The Unicorn Keepers did not want vehicles tramping through their forest. It would scare the unicorns and could cause a stampede. The River of Despair was nearby, and no one wanted to let the precious creatures heading for certain death at the jaws of the Black Widow Shark.

"One of our mares found him when she was feeding," the female Unicorn Keeper explained. Panthro made note of their location – near the border of the Forest of Silence. Those that did not have their wits about them would lose their minds inside that forest.

"There," the male Unicorn Keeper pointed to a clump of trees. Neither of them moved and Lion-O decided he should go first. He expected to smell rotting flesh, but he smelled nothing. He thanked Jaga for that, even though it was a terrible thing to think. The smell of decomposition was something that a person could not forget, nor could someone get it out of their nose. It was one of those smells that permeated everything and even washing things with Snarf's special soap didn't work.

"It's just bones. No clothing or anything. It looks like whoever this was died right here," Lion-O said. He was glad that Panthro had followed close behind him, so he didn't have to yell.

"Should I have Slythe bring the body bag?" The panther asked.

"Well even if it isn't Kimoni, there is someone, somewhere missing this person. We should bring the bones back to the Lair and have Tygra examine them. Do they look like cheetah bones to you?" Lion-O looked at his friend.

"I'm no expert but given the structure, I would say yes. They are definitely Cat so…" Panthro confirmed what the King figured. The panther then started to video the scene so that everything could be looked at again, in case there was evidence of something amiss.

"Slythe, can you bring over the body bag?" Lion-O turned to the others. The Mutant nodded and walked over to them. He opened the bag and pulled out some gloves. Lion-O knelt down and helped him put the bones into the bag along with anything else they found nearby that looked like scraps of clothing. Once that was complete, they zipped the bag up, and the group headed back to the Tank. Cheetara had been quiet almost the whole time and everyone wondered what she was thinking.


	4. Chapter 4

"Your thoughts?" Tygra asked Pumyra. He had called in the puma to the temporary Med Bay, despite her being six months pregnant. The tiger didn't want to miss anything and while he had medical training along with his architectural degree, he was no anthropologist. Neither was the puma but she actually held a medical degree so her expertise would be most helpful. They'd spent the last few hours poring over everything.

"Well I think you're right. Only way to confirm would be the DNA. I'd try the teeth or the femur," Pumyra nodded from her comfy chair. The Evil Chasers had brought in a chair, similar to something seen in office spaces but it had handles on the back of it, so she could be pushed around. The chair would allow the puma to sit in it without having her back or stomach pressed on and it had wheels. This made her more mobile and kept her off her swelling ankles. They were working on getting something to allow her to pick her feet up.

"I was afraid of that. What do you suppose happened to him?" Tygra wondered.

"I have no idea. While the animals in the forest would have eaten his soft fleshy parts, his clothing and anything else he had on him should have remained. Although, it's been at least six months since he went missing and winter was going on in between then and now so…" she trailed off.

"Let's leave the investigation up to the Evil Chasers. I do see animal teeth marks on the bones so you could be right. I'll get a report together and we'll store the bones until the Evil Chasers allow us to give him a proper burial," Tygra said.

"Good call. Now, can you give me a push toward Cheetara? I'd like to check up on her," the puma told him.

"I think Lion-O has that on lock down but I bet it wouldn't hurt to have another friend in this situation. Lea is sitting down with Nkiru to try and brace her for what could be coming," the tiger let her know.

"Good call. Poor Nkiru, first his erratic behavior and now... I wish we could have known why Kimoni ran off like that," Pumyra said.

"Well I fear that will be the mystery that keeps us guessing for the rest of our lives," Tygra shook his head and took hold of the handles on her chair.

"I hate being in this chair," she commented.

"Well it's the only way to get around the whole 'you're supposed to be on bedrest' order," he chuckled.

"Yes this is true. I am older than I should be for having cubs," she said.

"Medicine has come a long way. While you are a little older than most would recommend, you're not old enough for it to be dangerous. That would be a couple more years," Tygra reminded her.

"I'm just glad that Ben and I were able to get through our emotional mess and finally admit what I figure everyone already knew," Pumyra chuckled.

"Oh you two and Lion-O are our three 'wear their emotions on their sleeve' gang," the tiger couldn't help but tease her.

"You're right. Even Lynx-O could tell," she laughed.

"What's so funny?" Cheetara asked as she walked up to them. She was on her way to meet up with Lion-O in the conference room. Mandora had called an emergency meeting and the two were probably not aware of it.

"Well we were just having a good laugh over emotional constipation," Tygra smirked.

"It's good to laugh because I'm betting whatever Mandora has to say won't be funny," the cheetah heaved a sigh.

"I haven't even written up the report on the bones that we examined," the tiger said.

"Then I have no idea why she wants to hold an emergency meeting," Cheetara didn't like where this was headed.

"Better turn me around and we'll find out what our friend has to say," Pumyra told them.


	5. Chapter 5

"Now that everyone is here, we can get down to business," Mandora started. All the ThunderCats and Slythe had joined the woman and Commander Tiberius in the makeshift conference room.

"Can we not move back into the Lair?" Lion-O asked.

"No, the Lair can be moved into tomorrow. That's not our problem," Mandora said.

"So what's going on?" Cheetara wanted to know.

"We have received word that my battle cruiser and the bulk of her crew are required elsewhere. The Space Council wants us underway in an hour. I've only been allowed to leave behind five men and Mandora," The Commander spoke up.

"Well we won't be done moving into the Lair by then so that'll mean you'll have to come back for your equipment. Anything that you absolutely can't live without should be moved immediately," Lion-O said.

"I've made a list and the troops are moving them out now. Mandora will have to continue the investigation into Kimoni's disappearance with the team that remains. I want to thank you for your hospitality. I'm glad that we could help you," Tiberius told them.

"We'll be sad to see you go but please don't be a stranger," Pumyra spoke up.

"I will see what I can do, now if you'll excuse me," the Commander smiled and then stood up from his seat and exited the room.

"So what can you tell me about the bones?" Mandora changed the subject.

"We believe them to be Kimoni's but we wanted to check his DNA, which the battle cruiser could do," Tygra said.

"I'll make sure that the sample is transferred before they leave and then we can use your new lab to do the hard work," the blonde woman smiled slightly.

"Ok very good. I'll go take a sample," Tygra said before quickly excusing himself to the temporary Med Bay.

"I'll handle getting the sample from the Commander. If there is nothing else, I think we can adjourn," Mandora said.

"Let's adjourn. We'll see if we can help with the equipment heading back to the ship," Lion-O told her. Quickly the group dispersed and got to helping their friends.

Later, as they stood watching the battel cruiser leave, Cheetara noticed who had been left behind. She knew two of them but the other three were new to her. The cheetah felt a hand slip into hers. The big hand gave hers a squeeze and she turned her head toward the hand's owner.

"Yes, my King?" She asked.

"How are you?" He wanted to know. Lion-O looked at her eyes, trying to see if there was anything there to give away her true feelings.

"I don't know. Confused mostly I think. I feel bad for Nkiru. I feel bad that Kimoni's last moments were probably filled with the full range of emotions that comes when you realize you're about to die," Cheetara shook her head. Lion-O nodded. He hoped that they could finally figure out what happened to the cheetah.

"Why do I suddenly feel less safe?" Lea commented loudly enough that most of the people gathered heard her.

"We'll let that slide because you're new here," Panthro chuckled.

"I know what she means. I haven't been off of that ship or not within sight of it in over a year," Corporal Simmons commented.

"Hang onto that ominous feeling. Now that they are gone, anyone with a beef with anyone on this planet will come knocking. They've just been biding their time," Slythe spoke up.

"You're just a ray of sunshine aren't you?" Ben-Gali shook his head but somewhere deep down, he knew the Mutant was right.


	6. Chapter 6

"This new lab is fantastic," Tygra marveled over the newly rebuilt Med Bay and the medical lab inside. The move into the Lair hadn't finished but Mandora had grabbed all of the samples of DNA from the new Thunderians that the battle cruiser had, and she wanted to show the tiger how to use the system.

"Well we aim to please. Now, let's go over this so you can show Pumyra when she gets off maternity leave," the blonde smiled. She then turned to the lab technician and wife of Corporal Simmons, Technician First Class Molly Simmons. Molly was a short, pretty, woman in her thirties with red hair and a smile that never seemed to go away.

"Yes very good. So you said that there is a system that we can enter people's DNA into and that we'll have access to the Space Council's databases as well?" Tygra asked.

"Yes. If we've caught them, then their DNA is in our system. Your system cannot be accessed by ours so you can add whomever you want to it. We use the DNA samples for medical info, as we can possibly diagnose serious medical conditions based on the genetic profiles, besides, of course, using it to keep on file in case offenders reoffend," Molly explained.

"Very sophisticated. For right now, I just wanted to run this sample with the one that you gave us on file. We believe the bones are Kimoni's. Regrettably, I don't think we'll ever know how he died," Tygra heaved a sigh.

"DNA cannot solve every crime but it sure helps. At least you'll be able to give the poor guy a decent burial," Molly said. She quickly entered the sample that Tygra took and began to have the system search. It wouldn't take long as it only had a few samples to run through.

"Very true, though I know that it has to be eating Lion-O alive that we don't know what happened to Kimoni. I think Cheetara and Nkiru would like to know but on some level, I think they don't," the tiger told them.

"Well he was found near the border of the Unicorn Forest right?" Mandora asked.

"Yes and the River of Despair is nearby by, so is the Forest of Silence," Tygra said.

"That sounds ominous," Molly raised an eyebrow.

"They are probably the culprits of Kimoni's demise. We both know that the Forest of Silence would drive even the sanest person, insane. If he'd been eaten by the Black Widow Shark, we wouldn't have found bones or anything else. Still the River could make someone who is already unstable, more unstable. If Kimoni drank from the water, and then wandered into the Forest of Silence…" Mandora let the thought hang there.

"He died a horrible death then," Tygra involuntarily shivered.

"There's a good chance of it," the Evil Chaser nodded.

"The system confirmed your thoughts. The DNA matches that of Kimoni," Molly spoke up.

"Very good. I'll break the news. Can you run that medical test you were talking about?" The tiger wondered.

"I'm sure we already ran it but I can run it again. That will take quite a while as each piece of the genetic strand has to be analyzed," Molly explained.

"I appreciate it," Tygra said. Just then alarms blasted through the Lair. They were new and almost deafening in the Med Bay.

"We'll have to adjust those but first we better get down to the Control Room," Mandora told them.

"I guess Slythe was right," the tiger shook his head as the three of them ran out of the room and down the hall toward the Control Room.


	7. Chapter 7

"What in Jaga's toothbrush is going on?" Lion-O rushed into the Control Room. Cheetara was right behind him with Snarf and the twins.

"I'm not sure. I don't know if the systems are acting up or there is something going on," Ben-Gali responded. He finally managed to get the alarm silenced as Slythe entered the room with Tygra, Mandora, and Molly, whom he'd met up with in the hall.

"Where is Lynx-O?" Cheetara realized the lynx wasn't there.

"He's with Pumyra," Ben quickly explained.

"And Panthro and Lea?" Lion-O raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I don't know but I'll make an announcement," Ben said before quickly barking into the Comm system for the panther and lioness to get their butts to the Control Room. While he was doing that, Corporal Simmons, Private Doogle, and Private Turenne, came into the room.

"We heard the alarms from outside. What's going on?" Simmons asked.

"We're not sure Ben and I can't figure out what triggered the alarms," Technician Kane responded.

"Run a thermal scan," Slythe said. Kane gave him a look.

"Now!" the lizard barked and quickly the young man began to run a scan of the planet.

"What are you thinking?" Lion-O looked at Slythe.

"Hoping I'm wrong. How many civilians do we have outside?" the Mutant wanted to know.

"The Berbils, some Balkans and Wollos, why?" Cheetara gave him a look. Their allies had come to help move all of the equipment inside the Lair.

"Pull them inside. I'm having a bad feeling," Slythe told them. Ben didn't even bother to ask his King if he should or not. The white tiger quickly made the announcement and the Thunderian allies started running for the front door of the Lair.

"What's going on?" Panthro and Lea had finally managed to make it into the Control Room.

"We'll ask why you're late later. Slythe has a bad feeling and I think it's spreading," Lion-O told them.

"He set the alarms off with his mind?" Lea raised an eyebrow.

"No. I'm just hoping I'm wrong," Slythe said.

"You weren't. I have a large ship that didn't show up on the video screen, on the thermal scan. They're hovering over the old camp about a thousand feet up," Kane told them.

"Retract the drawbridge. Arm the weapons," Slythe said. That made Ben look at Lion-O.

"Do it," the lion ordered. Ben nodded. He checked to make sure that everyone had been brought inside the Lair and then he initiated lockdown procedures. The new drawbridge retracted and all doors were sealed with blast doors and windows got the same treatment.

"What are we dealing with?" Mandora asked.

"The reason that ship didn't show up on the visual screen is because of the cloaking mechanism," Slythe said.

"Mutants," Tygra spoke up.

"Yes. Either scoping out what we're doing or they've come for me," the lizard admitted.

"You think they've been hanging out in space waiting for the battle cruiser to leave? How else would they know that the Evil Chasers had left?" Panthro wondered.

"They either hacked the radio calls or made sure to stay out of the battle cruiser's sensor range," Slythe said.

"Why would they be coming here with only one ship? Do that want you back that badly?" Cheetara wondered.

"Oh I imagine that I was the last thing on their list of crap to deal with. This, this is something different," the Mutant frowned. He knew what it meant; Lion-O could tell.

"Should we try and make contact?" Ben asked.

"Let's not show our hand first. They already know that we know they are here. Let's see if they decloak in the next few minutes. If they don't, then give them a shot across the bow. They'll need to know we're serious," Slythe said.

"You've got it. Battle stations!" Lion-O ordered.


	8. Chapter 8

"Has it been long enough?" WilyKat wanted to know through the radio. He and his sister had taken up their positions at the computers in the Control Room, which would help Panthro aim and fire the Ballista, where he was stationed. Ben-Gali was manning the laser blasters via the Control Room. It had been five minutes with no signs of movement from the Mutant ship. No one wanted to start a war but they also didn't want to appear weak.

"Up to you Lion-O but I think they're waiting for us to blink," Slythe said. He had watched everything going on but had not said much.

"Open a communication line," Lion-O told Technician Kane. The Evil Chaser nodded and he did so. Lion-O stepped up to the microphone and said,

"Mutant ship, you have invaded Third Earth's airspace. De-cloak and make yourself known or suffer the consequences. You have one minute."

"That ought to get their butts moving," Cheetara piped up.

"If it doesn't, they'll soon wish they had," Tygra said with a smirk. Lion-O turned to Slythe, wondering if the ship would follow orders. The lizard could tell that the lion was concerned and he understood why. The last thing everyone needed was an intergalactic incident. However, he did not back down when the ship refused to reveal itself, grabbing the microphone, Lion-O announced,

"You were warned." That was it. He gave a nod to Ben-Gali and the white tiger locked onto the ship's coordinates. He was about to press the button when the ship suddenly de-cloaked.

"Send us the traitor and we'll leave you alone," was the message that finally came over the radio.

"You have invaded Third Earth's airspace without permission and are in no position to make demands. Leave our airspace or the consequences will be swift," Lion-O made their position known. There was silence, as if they were debating inside the Mutant ship.

"Fire a warning shot across their bow," Lion-O ordered. Ben-Gali nodded and quickly did as he was told. The laser cannon's shot crossed the ship.

"You have thirty seconds. Leave or the next shot will be the last thing you see in this galaxy," Lion-O's warning was final. He indicated to Ben-Gali and the Kittens to lock onto the ship. They all had solid locks and Lion-O started counting down,

"Five…four…three…two…"

"We will leave your airspace," was the only message they got before the ship started to turn and head toward the stratosphere. Mandora clapped a hand on Lion-O's back. He handled the trouble well and she quickly used her helmet to try and reach the battle cruiser. With any luck, more assistance could be sent.

"Track them with the thermal scan. Make sure they actually leave the atmosphere," Slythe spoke up.

"On it," Kane responded.

"They really sent a ship for you huh?" Tygra asked.

"Someone deemed me a high priority. None of my cohorts had any connections and basically I was demoted and sent to stay on your tails," Slythe admitted.

"Demoted?" Cheetara gave him a look.

"I was due to be promoted originally before the destruction of Thundera. However, once we failed to retrieve the Eye of Thundera, I was told the promotion was no longer forthcoming. We were told to retrieve the Eye or not bother to return to Plundarr," the lizard told them.

"So why would they send someone after you? No offense," Lion-O said.

"I have no idea," the Mutant shook his head, obviously confused.


	9. Chapter 9

"When they de-cloaked, I took some photos," Technician Kane interrupted the group.

"What'd you get?" Lion-O asked.

"A possible ship number. I'm trying to run it through the Evil Chaser database now," Kane explained.

"That might get us somewhere. In the meantime, I think we should have a meeting of the minds. Conference room, five minutes," the King told them before he left the Control Room.

"You think we can let the Balkans, Wollos, and Berbils go?" Ben-Gali asked.

"Take us out of lockdown and I'll make sure they get headed home. I'll let them know that we'll call tomorrow," Cheetara told him.

"Aye, aye," he nodded. The Cheetah sped off and made sure that their friends got off the bridge and on their way home. She wondered what was next for them now that the Mutants had made themselves known.

"Everyone here?" Lion-O asked a few minutes later.

"I think we're all accounted for," Tygra nodded. He'd gone down to get Pumyra and Lynx-O for the meeting. Technician Kane and Private Doogle were manning the Control Room.

"I think that this meeting can be very brief. Give them what they want and that's that," Slythe stood up from his seat.

"They were told that we weren't giving you up and I intend to stick to that promise. Besides, we give in and that looks weak," Lion-O objected.

"I didn't know you cared," Slythe teased.

"Lion-O is right, but you have kind of grown on us," Cheetara smirked.

"I definitely messed up the whole 'mortal enemy for life' thing, didn't I?" the Mutant wondered.

"You've become part of this team and as such, we'll fight for you," Panthro said.

"Well I do appreciate it, but I don't think our little display of power will keep them away from us," Slythe said.

"I second that motion," Mandora spoke up.

"Any word from the battle cruiser?" Lea wanted to know.

"They aren't in range and the closest back up is about a week out. We're on our own," Mandora explained.

"Well we aren't exactly defenseless," Tygra pointed out.

"True but we have a pregnant woman in here," Lynx-O said.

"They don't know that. Perhaps it would be best to move Pumyra to be with Ro-Bear-Bill and Ro-Bear-Belle," Ben-Gali said.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Pumyra asked.

"Of course. We just want to do what is best for you and for the baby," Lion-O promised her.

"The safest place on the planet is the Lair. I'm not leaving," the puma put her foot down.

"That part is settled then," Cheetara said.

"We only want what is best for you little one," Lynx-O took Pumyra's hand. The puma was like a daughter to him and the last thing he wanted was for her to be in any danger, especially with a little one on the way.

"I know and I appreciate it," Pumyra squeezed his hand and leaned over and kissed his cheek. Ben-Gali took her other hand and kissed it.

"So, what should we do?" WilyKit wanted to know.

"Maybe what we need to do is draw them out," Lion-O said.

"How? You don't have an airship that can put up with the fire power of a Mutant ship?" Slythe gave them a look.

"We have plans for one…" Panthro started.

"We're going to need Ro-Bear Bill," Lion-O said.


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning Ro-Bear Bill and his crew arrived just after breakfast. The message the lead Berbil had received the previous night had intrigued him and he was more than willing to help – as were the others. Quickly they all moved down to the hangar where Panthro was waiting with his plans.

"Here she is, the Feliner," Panthro showed off the blueprints to the Berbils.

"Oooooo," the little mechanical teddy bears were impressed.

"The problem is, we can't make it ourselves and we're running on a bit of a time crunch," the panther said.

"How much of a time crunch?" Ro-Bear Bill asked.

"Help is a week away – so less than that…" Lion-O spoke up.

"Where will you get the parts?" The Berbil wanted to know.

"We have the scraps from our crashed ship, the construction debris from repairing the Lair, and we can raid Castle Plundarr. Slythe says they have a lot of equipment we can use there," Ben-Gali spoke up. Ro-Bear Bill nodded and looked closer at the plans.

"Get the gear and we'll see what we can do," the Berbil agreed.

"Slythe lets round up a crew and get out to Castle Plundarr," Lion-O ordered.

"On it. Good thing the Evil Chasers left us a small transport. We're going to need it," the Mutant smirked. Within twenty minutes, all the available personnel were on their way to the former Mutant stronghold.

"This place still gives me the heebie-jeebies," Cheetara involuntarily shivered.

"That was the point. Though I fear that was the worst thing it could do. With any luck, Vultureman's lab is mostly intact and we'll make quite the steal," Slythe said as he piloted the Evil Chaser transport – with them were Ben-Gali, Tygra, the ThunderKittens, and Mandora. Panthro was behind them in the ThunderTank with Lion-O.

"Worst thing it could do?" the cheetah gave him a look as they pulled up outside the now abandoned fortress.

"By the end, Vultureman had scavenged the machinery for parts. None of the fortress weapons worked anymore. We were just lucky that no one else knew that," Slythe chuckled.

"Oh for Jaga's sake. You let him run amok like that?" she asked.

"I wasn't really paying attention to him. I had to babysit Monkian and Jackalman and I really wasn't in the mood for that anyway," he admitted. Cheetara nodded as he threw the vehicle into park and they disembarked. Panthro and Lion-O climbed out of the ThunderTank and quickly joined them.

"Is the place boobytrapped?" Panthro wondered.

"I would imagine that the Evil Chasers disabled all of them, but I could be wrong," Slythe shrugged.

"I was told that the info you gave was very good. The traps should be disabled," Mandora nodded.

"Come on then. We have work to do," the Mutant led the way and the group made their way inside. Slythe wound his way through the hallways and doorways until they reached Vultureman's lab.

"Might as well grab everything so we don't have to come back. The metal shop is downstairs, so we can grab that stuff to," the Mutant told them.

"Sounds good. We'll have the Feliner together in no time," Panthro smiled. The group spent the better part of the day moving things out of Castel Plundarr, completely unaware that they were being watched.


	11. Chapter 11

"How are we looking on parts and steel?" Slythe asked as they finished unloading from their third trip to Castle Plundarr. They figured there wasn't much left to salvage and the sun was setting. No one really wanted to be at Castle Plundarr after dark anyway.

"Ro-Bear Bill and the crew did some salvaging of their own while we were gone so I'm letting Panthro and Ben-Gali take stock. We'll know more in the morning. Snarf has dinner prepared in the dining room and I promised to help him deliver it to the crew in the hangar," Lion-O said.

"Need help?" The Mutant wanted to know.

"Thanks, that'd be great," the Lion smiled and the two headed for the kitchen. Cheetara meanwhile looked over the piles of the supplies they'd collected.

"You ok?" Tygra asked; he'd seen that far off look in her eyes before.

"I'm having one of those feelings," she admitted.

"That doesn't sound good," Mandora spoke up.

"What doesn't sound good?" Corporal Simmons wanted to know as he approached the group.

"It's probably just because we were at Castle Plundarr. My sixth sense has been electric all day," the cheetah admitted.

"Yeah that is definitely not good. Simmons, call up to Kane and Doogle. Have them scan the planet and the atmosphere. No external alarms, let's try and stay as chill as we can," Mandora ordered. He nodded and the blonde turned to the group,

"Is everyone inside? There's no equipment outside is there?" She wanted to know.

"Far as I know…" Tygra said.

"Scans have been initiated. They've retracted the drawbridge, as a precaution. Bumped up the alert level to DEFCON Three," Simmons spoke up.

"DEFCON?" Cheetara asked.

"Evil Chaser term - defense readiness condition. There are five stages – five being the lowest and one being well, you don't want to know," Mandora quickly explained. That's when the Lair alarms sounded.

"Our Mutant visitors are back. Man your battle stations!"

"That would be DEFCON Two," Mandora shook her head. Panthro ordered the Berbils out into the hallway, the safest place, with no windows. Lion-O and Slythe came charging down the hall toward the group.

"The boys are back. Seems we weren't going to get a week like we hoped," Mandora told them.

"The Sword growled but their cloaking device must have hidden what was going on," Lion-O said.

"Have they fired a shot?" Slythe asked.

"No. I told the boys to not have any exterior alarms or anything. They just retracted the drawbridge. With any luck we haven't tipped our hands," Mandora explained.

"Cheetara, would you mind heading up to the Cat's Head with me?" Lion-O suddenly wanted to know.

"What are you thinking my King?" Cheetara gave him a look.

"A little reconnaissance is all. Let's see if they think they can get us while we aren't looking," he said.

"And if they fire their weapons?" Panthro liked his thinking.

"Blow them out of the sky. They were warned," Lion-O said.


	12. Chapter 12

To everyone's surprise, nothing happened. They couldn't figure if the Mutants had been just keeping an eye on things, looking for weak spots, or if they were trying to gauge what the ThunderCats response would be. Lion-O had given up on his little idea up in the Cat's Head and everyone had a rough night, not getting much sleep.

After breakfast, Pumyra offered to watch the screens in the Control Room with Molly Simmons. That left room for some to try and get some sleep and the rest to figure out if they had enough supplies to craft the Feliner, per Panthro's specifications. Mandora had suggested that they extend the drawbridge and behave as though they didn't know the Mutants were watching. She was going to try and send out another encrypted message to the nearby help, hoping they could speed it up.

"So what do you think?" Lion-O asked Panthro.

"I think we're about three-quarters of the way there. We can get the shell and the systems in place but outfitting the inside is going to be tricky," the panther admitted.

"That doesn't sound good," Cheetara said.

"Not particularly and I'd rather not cannibalize the Tank or any other vehicle to get what we need. The mines are not up and running yet so they won't be any help," Panthro said.

"Castle Plundarr is pretty much void of materials, which is why Vultureman was stripping her for parts," Slythe told them.

"That does give us a problem. Let me put in a call to Snowman, he might have some ideas," Lion-O suggested.

"Good idea. The rest of us will get to work," Panthro nodded. The lion nodded and headed out of the hangar and then down to the Control Room. Mandora was walking out of the room just as he approached the door.

"Any good news?" Lion-O asked.

"Reinforcements were briefed but they literally can't get here any faster. However we did get something interesting on the ship numbers. I was going to run it by Slythe and see if he knows any of those Mutants on board," the blonde told him.

"Good idea. Maybe he knows why they're here against our wishes, especially since as we found out they should have bigger fish to fry," he shrugged.

"With any luck. Trouble in paradise? I thought we were working on the Feliner," Mandora said.

"A little short on supplies so I'm making a call to Snowman, see if he has any suggestions," Lion-O explained.

"Won't the Mutants be able to pick up the message?" The blonde wondered.

"Well they probably will but Snowman taught me the language of his elders. So unless they know how to speak that, I think we'll be good," he smiled.

"Always thinking. Well done. Keep us posted then," with a smile, Mandora headed back down to the hangar. Pulling Slythe aside, she quickly ran him through the names that she discovered based on the ship's numbers. He frowned but didn't say anything.

"Third Earth to Slythe. Hellloooo…." Mandora waved her hand in front of his face.

"Sorry. I just… I haven't heard of most of them but…" Slythe started.

"One of them has you spooked. Can't imagine that is easy for a guy like you," the blonde raised an eyebrow.

"You're right. Problem is the one name…" he drifted off again.

"We're running the names through the Evil Chaser database. We'll find out all about them soon but I was kind of hoping you…" Mandora was giving him a chance to fill in the blank.

"She was supposed to be dead years ago. It makes no sense," Slythe admitted.

"That crooks didn't bother to change the registration? I think we both know that's not high on their priority list," the Evil Chaser pointed out. He nodded but the look on his face told her that this name was more than just someone he knew. They would get to the bottom of this, if it was the last thing she did.


	13. Chapter 13

Cheetara collapsed; face first, onto her bed. It had been a long day and they weren't done with the Feliner but she'd been ordered to get some sleep. She wasn't the only one of course but between her sixth sense and the physical labor, she was exhausted both mentally and physically. There was a knock on her door and she groaned before only picking her head up off the bed and bade the person on the other side to enter.

"Hey," the voice was soft and the cheetah smiled at who was standing there.

"Forgive me, my King, my body is not listening to me," Cheetara said regarding the fact that she didn't get up off the bed.

"I would not want you to move. I just wanted to check up on you. I know it's been a long day," Lion-O moved to the bed and sat down next to his beloved.

"I appreciate it, I do, but aren't you tired too?" She wondered, still lying on her front, but now had propped her head up on her hands, which were propped up by her elbows.

"Oh pretty sure I won't be able to get up now that I sat down," he chuckled.

"Well you don't have to leave but you can't stay there. Kind of messes up where I like to sleep," she teased. Lion-O reached out and put his left hand on her right shoulder and slowly massaged it.

"Don't start that unless you intend to finish it," Cheetara closed her eyes and just felt.

"Not sure I have the stamina for that tonight," he admitted.

"A hot bath should fix that but you'll have to drag me there," she said, opening her eyes to look at him.

"You are tense. A hot bath would be good for you to relax," he was concerned for her well-being.

"Only if you join me or at least those magic hands of yours," Cheetara smirked.

"I think I can arrange that," Lion-O winked and then carefully hauled himself up off the bed and into her bathroom. Cheetara heard the water running and gently picked herself up off the bed. She peeled off her uniform and threw it on the floor of the bedroom.

"Why madam, I dare say, you're a little exposed," Lion-O chuckled as his eyes roamed her body after she entered the bathroom and closed the door.

"Best way to take a bath wouldn't you agree?" She smirked.

"I suppose," the lion started to pull off his own uniform. Cheetara gently lowered herself into the large tub and turned off the water. Lion-O climbed in behind her, the water level went up but did not reach the overflow. Cheetara turned the water back on to fill up the tub a little more. Once she was satisfied, she turned the water off, and leaned back onto Lion-O's chest, her own body mostly submerged.

"I feel better already," she said.

"As do I," he said, moving her hair, and kissing her neck. Cheetara involuntarily shivered; she didn't remember love being this good.

"Feeling any better?" He asked as he wrapped his arms around her, for a few moments before starting to try and work her muscles with his hands.

"Much," she'd closed her eyes again and let him work his magic.

"This isn't how I imagined it but I don't want to wait anymore," he said after a few minutes of silence. This made the cheetah open her eyes.

"Wait for what?" She asked turning slightly in the tub causing Lion-O's hands to stop massaging.

"I love you and I want the rest of the planet to know it," he said.

"I'm sure they knew it before I did," she smirked as she easily moved around so she was sitting on her knees, facing him.

"Well that may be true but I was thinking a little more visible," he reached behind his head and grabbed something off the shelf.

"Lion-O…" it was a little box.

"Would you…" he didn't get the words out or even get a chance to open the box. Instead, he found her lips on his.

"Yes," there wasn't even a second thought. Lion-O beamed before pulling her close and kissing her.

"Why now in the bathtub?" Cheetara had to ask.

"Tomorrow is uncertain and I wanted you to know. I didn't want it to be some spectacle. I wanted it to be a moment for just us," he said. She half-smiled and then moved in for another kiss.

"The water is getting cold," she said.

"A nice hot shower it is then," he winked. The two spent a night together, once they weren't sure when they'd get again. However while they enjoyed each other's company, Slythe paced in his bedroom. The name that Mandora had given him had made him uneasy. If she was truly alive, then everything he had built here was about to be turned upside down. Shaking his head, he left his room and headed for the front doors. There was only one way to settle this.


	14. Chapter 14

"Where do you think you're going?" Mandora asked as she watched Slythe stalk down the hallway.

"There's business to settle," he didn't act surprised that she was hanging out in the hallway near the Control Room but he was. He didn't stop however.

"Oh there is but you better let us handle it. You might not care if you live or die but you've got people invested in you now. They care and to throw everything you've been through away would be a disservice to them," those words from the blonde made him stop. He whirled around.

"You think they really care?" He wanted to know.

"Well I know Lion-O does. He took a big risk to not only himself but his people and the people of this planet by taking you in and not executing you like so many would have. He has a great capacity to wish the best of people. It can help him be a great King but he's also proven that he's more than ready to defend this planet with his life, even if that is more than what people are asking for. So in your mind you think you're protecting him by going out there and probably getting yourself killed but instead he would look at it as somehow failing you; like he didn't do enough. Personally, he's done more than most would have with a sworn enemy, no matter how much they seemed to have changed. So go ahead and do what you want but know what wake you leave as you go," Mandora told him. Slythe gave her a look and she just turned and walked away down the hall toward her quarters. The Mutant frowned and turned back around. He headed for the front door.

It opened and head headed out – not very far but enough that if the Mutants were watching, they'd notice him. He stood there debating what Mandora said. Lion-O and Panthro had accepted his help when they could have not bothered to trust him. Cheetara had thanked him for finding her box for her and had warmed up a little faster than the others. He could not fault the others for their wariness. Still they had become this awkward little family. No one batted an eye when he offered to help with something or to do his part. They sat together for meals and he was included in meetings. They let him use the Control Room for guard duty. He had every in and could roam the facility at will.

The Evil Chaser had been right so he did what he thought he should. Slythe started a series of hand signals. If they were truly watching the Lair, then they would know what he was doing. He repeated them three times. If they didn't see him or didn't respond then he knew that it couldn't be the woman he knew. She was truly gone.

Slythe waited for five minutes. Nothing. He nodded and headed back inside. His friend was truly dead; as the rumors had suggested. She would have listened to reason, maybe even understood what happened.

"So you get what you wanted?" There was Mandora. She hadn't gone that far. In her hands was a bottle of brown liquor and a few shot glasses.

"My friend is truly dead. She would have answered by now," he heaved a sigh.

"Come on. I know a great little spot to share these," she said. He nodded and followed her down the hallway toward a small dining room used for private meetings between Lion-O and leaders of the peoples of Third Earth.

"You ever think that maybe she is alive but whoever up there is holding her hostage?" Mandora wondered as she poured them a drink.

"For years?" Slythe raised an eyebrow.

"Well one can dream, right?" She wondered. The Mutant slammed the shot back.

"I suppose. Perhaps she was doing it for her own safety. She was a wanted woman," Slythe admitted as the blonde drank hers.

"I saw that in the record seems your friend, Arzu. She liked to piss people off huh?" Mandora asked as she poured them another.

"She had her own values and they often clashed with the main views of the Mutant High Council," he nodded before slamming back the second drink.

"So you two…" Mandora trailed off. She smirked and then drank.

"Before my wife. I think we would have gotten married had she not been sent on the run soon after our one year anniversary," Slythe told her. The blonde was surprised at how much he'd opened up. Perhaps with Arzu's possible death, he didn't see any harm in it. That's when she got an alert in her helmet, not allowing them to have a third drink.

"We have something. Off to the Control Room with us," Mandora told him.


	15. Chapter 15

"Ok so you pulled me away from my important work for…?" Panthro wondered. The group had met up in the Conference Room close to dawn. Some were headed back on shift and others were headed to bed.

"Last night we got some info that we figured would be important," Mandora said.

"So what did you find?" Lion-O asked.

"The Mutant ship sent light signals to the Lair. The signals came from the back of the ship so it seems that not everyone on board is on the same page," Slythe said.

"You think it's your friend?" Cheetara wondered.

"Hard to say. Hopefully the rumors of her death were wrong," the Mutant told her.

"But whoever it was, they made the attempt to contact the Lair, while the others were playing hardball," Tygra spoke up.

"Dissension amongst the ranks. We can use that," Lea said.

"Oh I agree but how?" Ben-Gali raised the question.

"That would be the issue but I have an idea," Slythe said. Mandora gave him a look and Lion-O did not miss it.

"Why do I have a feeling that I don't like where this is headed?" The Lion raised an eyebrow.

"Probably because it's dangerous," Corporal Simmons was already on the same page.

"If I walk out of the Lair, hands up, no weapons, and say I surrender, then let's see what they would do. You can train the Lair's weapons on the ship; they make a move, blast them. Just to disable the ship. We get them on the ground; we can sort out what they want and why they decided to take their lives in their own hands," Slythe explained.

"And if they shoot you on the spot?" Pumyra raised an eyebrow.

"Well then you guys haven't lost anything. Besides better they take pot shots at me and not at the Lair. Those Evil Chasers are at least five days out and the Feliner is at least two days out. If we force their hand…" Slythe was a brilliant strategist. If the people inside the ship didn't know about the signals that had been sent, they may not de-cloak but if they truly thought that they were getting what they wanted, then they might let their guard down.

"I don't like it but it might be the only way to find out what is going on. This entire situation is weird and I don't see them being patient enough to wait for our back up to arrive," Lion-O heaved a sigh.

"Snowman is bringing up more supplies, right?" Panthro asked.

"Correct. He said that space debris lands on the mountain at least twice a year. He collects it in case it might be useful. He should be here by nine am," the King explained.

"Well that explains the mess that came out of the sky six months ago," Panthro said.

"Apparently, there is something about that place. That Thundrillium meteor seemed to be attracted there too," Tygra frowned.

"Another planet anomaly but one that works in our favor. Though that doesn't really explain the change in the subject," Cheetara spoke up.

"Give me and the Berbils one more day. We're not done with the Feliner, we go off half-cocked and try Slythe's plan," the Panther offered.

"Whoever is on board has waited this long, I don't think one more day would be a terrible ordeal. Slythe, do you think you could contact the ship again? Or would they get suspicious?" Lion-O wondered.

"I think that could put our contact in danger. As it is, we didn't get many details from them," Slythe said.

"What message did you get exactly?" Lynx-O spoke up. He'd been just intently listening to the entire conversation.

"Save yourself," the Mutant said, swallowing hard.


	16. Chapter 16

The next day Slythe stood on the grass out in front of the Lair. Panthro needed more time as Snowman's haul had been helpful but it took time to carefully pull things apart and not trash them. The Feliner would be complete but not until at least tonight.

"I know you're out there! If you think I didn't, you're dumber than I thought!" Slythe seemingly challenged the sky. No answer so he tried,

"I'll give myself up! If you promise to leave Third Earth alone!" That's when he heard engines whirring. Inside the Lair, Lion-O ordered everyone to get ready to fire. If need be, they'd protect themselves.

"You expect us to believe that you aren't a Trojan horse?" An announcement came from the ship's PA system. The ship had to de-cloak to use it and Lion-O made sure that the aim was for the engines.

"Say the people who claimed to have left Third Earth! You want trust; you have a funny way of showing it!" Slythe barked.

"An uneasy truce then. We'll land to let you board, if the Lair will not fire on us," the person on the ship responded.

"You have my word no one will fire on you, provided you're speaking the truth, but I want guarantees! Anything happens and the Lair will not hesitate to bring the ship down, with me in it!" Slythe told them. There was a silence and the Mutant wondered if he had pushed his luck. Truth of the matter was, Lion-O would be firing on the ship, anyway. They all agreed that the ship wasn't leaving with the reptile.

The ship landed on the grass not far away from Slythe. The engines cut, which certainly surprised the Mutant. This was supposed to be quick and instead they had offered themselves up. The ship's ramp came down and out of the ship came four Mutants – female and male jackals, male monkian and female vulture. Then Slythe heard something.

"In the name of Third Earth! Drop your weapons and put your hands up!" It was Queen Willa and her Warrior Maidens. Next to them was Snowman and Snowmeow. They had popped out of their hiding places inside the forest on the other side of the ship.

"Slythe, you ok?" Lion-O asked. He, Cheetara, Ben-Gali, Panthro, and Mandora had exited the Lair, leaving the Kittens and Tygra to man the Lair's weapons.

"All good," he nodded with a half-smile.

"So it was deception after all," the female jackal gave him a look as they set down their weapons.

"You knew who you were dealing with when you asked for me by name. I'm surprised that you bothered to shut off the engines," Slythe gave her a look.

"She did so because I told her to," a female reptile walked out of the ship and headed toward him.

"Arzu?" Slythe couldn't believe it.

"Tales of my death were highly exaggerated," she smirked, walking right up to him and embracing him.

"It is good to see you. You captained the ship with only that crew?" He asked.

"Not exactly," she admitted.

"Well we'd be more than glad to hear all about it. Welcome to Third Earth. I'm Lion-O, King of Thundera, Lord of the ThunderCats," the lion and the others had walked up to them and stuck out his hand. The Warrior Maidens, Snowman, and Snowmeow had moved up as well. Willa had Nada and a couple of Maidens scoop up the weapons.

"Your Highness," Arzu bowed her head, "glad that you didn't shoot us down," she smiled and then shook his hand.

"I'm glad that it didn't come to that. So how did you manage to captain with that small of a crew?" Lion-O wanted to know.

"A long story that ends with a mutiny of sorts. Well a mutiny after part of my crew mutinied. Like I said, long story," Arzu explained.

"Then I suggest we handle those you've got left on your ship," the lion said. Willa nodded and approached with ten Maidens. Arzu nodded to the female vulture and the Mutant led them aboard the ship.


	17. Chapter 17

Once the prisoners were locked into the cells in the basement, Willa had some of her Warrior Maidens guard the Mutants. There were seven of them and they took up almost all the room in the cells.

"You need twenty girls to guard us?" one of the jackals smirked.

"They're there for your protection," Willa smirked.

"From what? The ThunderCats won't hurt us," one of the lizards decided to be brave and speak up.

"Snowmeow eats Mutants and he shares with Ma-Mutt," Willa chuckled as the big cat jumped up on top of the desk in the room and made himself comfortable, while the former horrible hound curled up on the chair. Willa left the room to join the others in the large dining room.

"You are so willing to give us your hospitality. I mean no offense but that is not the typical story I have been told about Thunderians," Arzu said as she said down at the table in the main dining room.

"Well we trust Slythe and you landed your ship, so we're willing to talk first," Lion-O said as he sat down across from her. The meaning was clear. The ThunderCats would hear their story before making any decisions but should things not be to their liking, then things would be different.

"You must explain that one to me. I know Slythe was doing the bidding of the High Council, despite his better judgement," Arzu gave her friend a look.

"Well bucking the High Council didn't exactly work out for you," Slythe pointed out.

"Very true. I'll bug you about your story later. Right now, I believe I owe you a story," she smiled slightly. She took a glass of water that Snarf had delivered to the table and sipped a little.

"About three years before the destruction of Thundera, I pissed off a few people in the High Council. Needless to say, I soon became persona non grata on my home planet. My crew was given a choice. Join me and never come back to Plundarr or stay at home and serve ten years in prison, most of it hard labor. The bulk of my crew had no loved ones or any particular attachment to home as we spent the majority of our time in space working on repairs to spaceships too large to land and satellites. So, they decided life in space was better than prison," Arzu started.

"You'll have to forgive me but what would cause the High Council to give the entire crew a sentence like that?" Cheetara interrupted her.

"We were required to report when ships where no longer repairable or when the damage to them is too great. I made a call to the planet that one of the ships we were working on was not safe to be occupied any longer. Her life support systems were malfunctioning. The backup systems were doing what they could, but they were not meant for continuous run for longer than a couple of hours. I made the decision to evacuate the ship and then my crew and I would attempt repairs, allowing the backup systems to operate at a much lower rate and it could last much longer. Problem was that every time we tried to replace something it would break. The system was just too old, and it just couldn't be fixed. I ordered my crew off the ship. We were ordered back on by the Mutant High Council and I refused. I told them it was too far gone, and we needed to forget that ship. The High Council ordered the crew back on the ship, but the Captain refused, knowing that the ship was unsafe. They backed down so we figured that they finally realized it wasn't worth it. The Captain and his crew were reassigned but I found out that a new crew, who had no idea that the ship was broken, would be taking over. So, my crew and I did the only thing we could do," Arzu stopped, taking another sip of water.

"What?" Panthro wanted to know.

"We blew it up," the female vulture, who had introduced herself as Esen, spoke up.

"Ah so destruction of government property. Hardly seems fair considering you were preventing people from dying," Lea gave a look.

"Yes, well that is basically treason to the High Council. The only thing actually worse than that is treason," Slythe explained.

"You guys have an odd way of doing things," Ben-Gali said.

"Yes well. Every ship that no longer functions costs money, time, and supplies. Things of which the High Council didn't think about until it was too late. We overtaxed our planet, so supplies began to run low. They decided to steal from Plundarr's moons, hence the mess they're in now. There was a shortage of skilled laborers, because they were busy sending people off to be trained to fight instead," Arzu told them.

"So why did everyone think you were dead?" Tygra asked.

"There was an incident with one of the escape pods on the ship. Seems someone outside my crew was sent to sabotage it. The High Council figured they'd get rid of me and my crew, so we faked my death," the female lizard said.

"Figuring that would let you and the crew move on and not be disturbed," Slythe said.

"Exactly," she nodded.

"So, the mutiny then?" Lion-O wondered.

"It's a weird situation we found ourselves in," Arzu started.

"Dinner is served," Snarf announced from the doorway of the dining room.

"Thank you Snarf," Lion-O smiled and quickly he, Cheetara, and Panthro got up to help him serve everyone.


	18. Chapter 18

"So, the mutiny," Lion-O started as they began to enjoy the meal that Snarf had prepared.

"Yes, the mutiny. I'm afraid that comes with some bad news," Arzu heaved a sigh.

"What kind of bad news?" Slythe asked.

"Yes, well the reason for the mutiny was simple really. A message was sent via secure channel to our ship. The Mutant High Council put a price on your head, my friend. They said if we brought you back, dead or alive, we would be granted a pardon and able to return to Plundarr, free and clear," she explained.

"I expected some blow back considering what I did but I never expected that," Slythe was surprised.

"Seems like a lot of trouble for you doesn't it? No offense," Arzu said.

"It certainly does. I made my enemies, but I didn't sic the Evil Chasers on the High Council or anything," he shook his head.

"Well I knew what it was when I read it – a trap. If we somehow managed to survive the attempt to get you off Third Earth, then we'd just end up dead, when we delivered you. We would have served our purpose. What I couldn't figure out is who or why they'd want you that badly. I figured it must have something to do with what you'd been doing since my exile," she explained.

"Under orders from the High Council, we were sent to retrieve the Eye of Thundera. Told not to come back until we had it. That's what we were doing," it was clear that he was confused.

"Yes, well I suspect that there are bigger things at play here. Part of my crew mutinied because a second letter was sent just to the lowest ranking member of my team. He was promised money and a position in a Councilman's office, if more of the crew joined, then they too would be given incentives. My guess is that they figured out I wasn't actually dead and figured the crew would do their dirty work," Arzu shook her head.

"So they want you and me dead," Slythe frowned.

"Good thing that you're here then," Lion-O said.

"I don't think so. Makes you all a target. If they were willing to send messages out to my crew then they would be sending messages all across the galaxy to all those who are in the same position as we were," she told them.

"You really think so?" Cheetara wondered.

"I wouldn't put anything past them," the Mutant said.

"I'll get on the horn to headquarters. We may have a shit storm headed our way. Plus, we have more Mutants to take care of," Mandora quickly excused herself and headed for the Control Room.

"You know for an Evil Chaser, she's not too bad," Arzu smirked.

"She's a keeper," Slythe winked.

"Slythe, what could you possibly know that the Mutant High Council would be this aggressive? I mean especially now. You've been here awhile," Lion-O frowned.

"Well since none of my former associates were sent back home to Plundarr, I'm not sure what they're looking for. Even if they had been sent home, I was regularly reporting back home to tell them of our progress. There are no secrets," the Mutant shook his head.

"Maybe we're not looking at this broadly enough," Panthro spoke up.

"I think we may need some help from a wizard," Cheetara said.

"Has Wizz-Ra finished building his pyramid? Lea wondered.

"I don't know but I'll see if I can bring him here," the cheetah told them.

"What would the wizard do?" Slythe gave her a look.

"We need to interrogate the prisoners. They must know more than they're saying. If they got one secret message…" Cheetara started.

"They might have gotten more. I'll kill them myself," Arzu was not happy.


	19. Chapter 19

"I was pleasantly surprised you reached out. I thought things were in pretty good shape," Wizz-Ra said as he was greeted by Cheetara and Lion-O an hour later at the entrance to the Lair. The wizard was building his pyramid not far from where Mumm-Rana's pyramid was. The two forces of Good located close to one another would boost their powers and hopefully prevent Mumm-Ra from coming back. The Ancient Spirits of Evil had been known to bring back their ever-living servant despite the fact that his track record was not that great.

"Well things have kind of taken a turn, both professionally and personally. How goes the pyramid building? Are you enjoying the neighborhood?" She asked as they turned and headed for the cells in the basement.

"The pyramid is coming along quite nicely. The Berbils, Wollos, and Balkans are very helpful and I owe them a lot. As far as the neighborhood, Mumm-Rana isn't very chatty but she's been helpful. She seems glad to have me. Anyway, on your end, there seems to be good news and bad news. Where do you want to start?" He asked.

"That is good to hear. Mumm-Rana will warm up," Lion-O spoke up as they worked their way down the stairs.

"As for our news - good news first. Lion-O and I are to be married," the cheetah was all smiles.

"That is great news! I am so happy for you two," Wizz-Ra stopped on the stair landing and shook Lion-O's hand before giving Cheetara a hug.

"Thank you. Regrettably our big moment has been overshadowed by the arrival of some Mutants," Lion-O explained.

"Ah so that explains the ship outside. What can I do?" Wizz-Ra wanted to know.

"Well turns out that some of the crew is friends with Slythe and some mutinied. We need to know if the mutineers have more insight than they're willing to share," the lion said.

"The truth serum spell is certainly getting a workout. Let us see what we can do. First, I would suggest that we pick out the weakest minded one. They'll squeal as soon as I cast the spell. The more mentally tough characters will be hard to break," the wizard told them.

"Well we left the Warrior Maidens, Snowmeow, and Ma-Mutt down there to keep an eye on them so we'll probably have a good lead on that," Cheetara said.

"Talk about intimidation," Wizz-Ra chuckled.

"That's what we were hoping for," Lion-O smirked.

"Well all right then. Let us see what we can do," he winked as Lion-O opened the door to the cells.

"King Lion-O," the head Warrior Maiden, Astra, bowed her head. She was tall with dark hair that nearly matched her tanned skin. Willa trusted Astra as her third in command and the lion had quickly understood why during their previous meetings. Outside of the sisters, there was no one fiercer in the tribe. She was also loyal and that was something that Willa appreciated most of all.

"Astra, how goes it?" He asked.

"Well. So far the threat of Snowmeow using them as a snack seems to have done the trick. Ma-Mutt has had his fun as well," she said. On the floor, the former Horrible Hound was gnawing on a rather large bone, which must have come from something the Maidens had killed and eaten.

"Who's the weakest link?" he said in a low tone. Astra smirked and turned to her cohorts,

"Give me the vulture." Two Maidens headed over and Snowmeow quickly jumped off the desk. He waited next to the Maidens who opened the door to the cell. Once they pulled out the vulture out, they were instructed to take him to the interrogation room next door. He was forced to sit down and then chained to the table.

"Thank you ladies," Lion-O smiled and they left the room, only to stand outside in case they were needed.

"Let's get to it then," Wizz-Ra smirked.


	20. Chapter 20

"He said what?" Arzu couldn't believe that her crew member had told Wizz-Ra. The ThunderCats, Slythe, Willa, Nada, Mandora, Corporal Simmons, Snowman, and Arzu and her remaining loyal crew had met in the smaller dining room about an hour and a half later.

"He said that he did get one more message. The Mutant High Council indicated that it was a race to the finish. Whoever got to Slythe and back to Plundarr first would receive the incentives and no one else," the wizard repeated.

"So they are sending more here," Slythe frowned.

"Hold your roll. We didn't bump into any other ships on our way here," Esen pointed out.

"Forgive me but space is a very large place – how could you tell?" Cheetara asked.

"Our scanners have a long range of approximately ten miles. We can also detect other cloaked Mutant ships, though we wouldn't necessarily be able to track other cloaked ships. The Mutant High Council didn't exactly see the need for it, for some reason," the female jackal, Ayşegül, explained.

"That seems irrational," Lion-O commented.

"Welcome to Plundarr, where not everything we do makes sense, except to the High Council," Hamza, the male jackal, spoke up.

"Good times, good times," Panthro shook his head.

"I'll get my team on it. Hopefully we can manage to avoid a surprise. Assistance is still at least three days out," Mandora said.

"Your said assistance won't be locking us up right?" Refik, the male monkian, wanted to know.

"As long as you don't have any warrants out in your name, no. In fact, they may want your opinion on a few things," Mandora assured them.

"They want us to be spies," Ayşegül said.

"Think of it as showing loyalty to your new King. Well if Lion-O gets the ok from the other leaders of Third Earth," the Evil Chaser said before quickly heading down to the Control Room.

"Talk about weird. I never thought I'd be living with Thunderians and hopefully happily to boot," Esen couldn't believe it.

"Well it certainly may happen. As Mandora stated, I need to confer with the other leaders here on Third Earth," the lion spoke up.

"Aren't you King? Doesn't that mean you make the decisions?" Hamza asked.

"I can only speak for my people. We share this planet with many others and as such decisions of this magnitude are shared," Lion-O explained.

"So no hostile takeover huh?" Refik wondered.

"What do they teach you on Plundarr?" Tygra gave him a look.

"Apparently, not the truth. That's why I couldn't believe to hear that you had defended Slythe against the Mutant High Council's demands," Arzu said.

"Well he'd been a great help. He helped us so we helped him. Seemed only fair," Lion-O said.

"Don't confuse his good nature with weakness," Willa spoke up. Everyone turned to look at her. Arzu raised an eyebrow.

"Hardly. I doubt that he would be King without the ability to flex those muscles, both literally and figuratively," the female lizard said.

"Yes, well I am not the only one with muscles. Until we hear back from the Evil Chasers, I suggest we stay on high alert. With any luck, the High Council bluffed, and your ship was the only one that came here," Lion-O hoped he was right. Just then alarms went off across the Lair.

"What is that?" Esen asked.

"Medical alert," Tygra said. He was already up and out of his seat heading for the door.

"I need all available personnel to the Med Bay," the voice over the communication system was unmistakable. It also sounded like the person on the other end of the call was in pain.

"Pumyra," Ben-Gali was off like a shot, Cheetara moved faster and was gone.

"That can't be good," Ayşegül frowned.

"No, it isn't. her cub isn't due for almost two and a half months," Lion-O quickly got out of his chair and headed for the door.

"I'll help," Refik offered.

"You have medical training?" the lion asked.

"I'm the ship's medic," the monkian nodded.

"Then come on," Lion-O said.


	21. Chapter 21

"What can I do?" Refik asked as he and Lion-O arrived at the Med Bay. Tygra was checking over the puma who had been helped onto a bed by her husband, Ben-Gali, and Cheetara. The machines tracking her vitals were beeping and it added to the level of cacophony in the room.

"You have medical training?" Tygra gave him a look.

"I'm a medic," the monkian said. The tiger pulled him aside and heaved a sigh.

"What is it?" Refik asked.

"She's in labor and she's way too early. I need to prep an incubator for the cub, if it is born alive. I realize that Thunderian physiology isn't something you studied but can you help her through the birthing process?" Tygra wanted to know.

"You think she'll want me down there? I mean I am new here and a Mutant," he said.

"Hopefully, I'll be able to construct the incubator before you have to do anything but if not…" Tygra explained. Refik nodded and the two turned back to the group.

"Lion-O, I need your help. Please follow me," the tiger told him. Lion-O nodded and followed the orange tiger.

"Ok, Miss Pumyra. My name is Refik. I am here to help," the monkian tried to be calm as possible so as not to freak her out. She cried out in pain in response. Quickly, he checked the vitals machine. Pumyra's blood pressure was high and her pulse along with it. He grabbed a stethoscope and tried to listen for a fetal heartbeat. It was there and internally the monkian breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's bad isn't it?" Pumyra asked. Having medical training herself, she half-knew the answer but couldn't help but ask.

"The baby has a heartbeat so we're still in good shape. Now, I can't give you anything for the pain, but we need to calm down your heart. Did you and your husband go through the breathing classes?" Refik asked.

"We did," Ben-Gali nodded as Pumyra gritted her teeth – a wave of pain passed through her body.

"Ok, start breathing, and I'm going to have Miss Cheetara help me," he smiled slightly and then turned to the cheetah. She moved next to him and the two communicated through hushed tones. Quickly, the cheetah fetched the required things that the monkian needed as he moved Pumyra's legs so he could get a better view of what was going on.

Cheetara covered Pumyra's lap with some paper and handed Refik a flashlight, while he wheeled over a low stool and sat down on it. Luckily, with Ben-Gali and Pumyra distracted, they didn't say anything of him checking on the puma's intimate parts. Refik sucked in a breath, glad that no one could see him. Luckily, the puma was not fully dilated but she had started and once they got to a certain point, there would be nothing to do but to help her give birth.

"Is this your first?" Refik asked as he stood up.

"Yes, and probably my last," Pumyra admitted. The pain had subsided a little, but it wouldn't stay that way for long.

"I'd say hold that thought unless you intend to whack your husband between then and now," Refik chuckled as he gently pressed on the puma's pregnant belly. He was trying to see if the baby was positioned properly.

"He'll be dead before then!" Pumyra gritted her teeth as another wave of pain passed through her.

"My mom said the same thing and then she had my brothers after me," Refik smirked. He felt pretty confident that things were progressing well despite the fact that the little one was coming so early.

"If you'll forgive me, what is Tygra doing?" Ben-Gali asked.

"He's getting an incubator ready for the little one. You two have names picked out?" Refik was trying to keep them distracted.

"We thought you had more time," Pumyra admitted.

"Well keep thinking. You'll want to be ready," Refik smiled and looked up from his patient and over at Cheetara who indicated with her eyes that they needed to talk. He excused himself and went over to the cheetah.

"What are the chances the cub survives?" She asked. With a possibility of the baby being improperly formed at such a premature age, there was a good chance that the cub wouldn't make it.

"You have advanced medical facilities here. While the little one will struggle, you have better odds than my youngest brother did," Refik was being honest.

"What happened to your brother?" Cheetara wanted to know.

"He was born a month early. We didn't have facilities for him. He died in my mother's arms only hours after he was born," he explained.

"I am truly sorry," the cheetah said.

"Thank you. Can you check on Tygra's progress? I'll check on Miss Pumyra," he smiled slightly. Cheetara nodded and then headed off. Refik quickly went to check on his patient. Her dilation was moving along and he hoped that the tiger and lion were done soon. What he didn't know was that Mandora was in the Control Room fighting a battle of her own.


	22. Chapter 22

Panthro barreled out of the Control Room, making a beeline for the Med Bay. He almost bowled Lea over as she exited the library carrying a stack of discs. The panther quickly stopped her and the discs from falling to the floor.

"You ok?" he asked.

"Yeah but where are you going in such a hurry?" Lea wanted to know.

"The Med Bay. I need Lion-O and I need him in a hurry," the panther said.

"That doesn't sound good," the lioness admitted as they both started to hurry back down the hall to the same location.

"What do you have? I thought you'd be helping with the baby," Panthro said.

"Tygra wanted me to get as much information as I could about premature babies and the risk to the mother. It's been a very long time since anyone here has delivered a baby, especially a premature one," she explained.

"That doesn't sound good," the panther gave her a look.

"Well given how far away from a standard term Pumyra is, it isn't. We only have one shot at this and if we miss our opportunity…" Lea didn't want to finish that thought.

"Gotcha," Panthro nodded as they entered the Med Bay.

"Good timing, I need you," Tygra said to Lea. He was wheeling an incubator closer to the room where Pumyra was in labor.

"Let's get to work," the lioness nodded.

"I need Lion-O. We've got a bit of a situation," Panthro said.

"I'll send him out," Tygra told them. He two headed into the room and Lion-O headed out, with Cheetara. Now that they had three medical professionals in the room, the two were just in the way.

"What's going on?" Lion-O wanted to know.

"That moment we were dreading is here. Mandora and her Evil Chasers have picked up multiple signatures on the radar and they aren't the backup," the panther said as they headed for the door.

"How close is the Feliner to being complete?" Lion-O asked as they moved out into the hallway.

"That was my next stop after I found you," Panthro let him know.

"All right go. We'll check in with Mandora and see what we're up against," the lion said. The panther nodded and peeled off toward the hangar.

"Even if the Feliner is done, we were only planning on dealing with one ship," Cheetara gave him a look as they made their way down the hall.

"Get Arzu, she should still be in the Conference Room. We're going to need her, her crew, and her ship," Lion-O said. She gave a him a quick peck on the cheek and then was gone. The King walked into the Control Room to see Mandora at the screen with Corporal Simmons standing next to her. Privates Doogle and Turenne were manning the controls while Technicians Kane and Simmons were manning the weapons' computers. Willa, Snowman, Wizz-Ra, and Slythe were all watching the screens.

"So, I hear things are getting ugly," Lion-O said.

"They're not even bothering to cloak their ships," Mandora shook her head.

"What are they doing?" the lion wanted to know.

"We've got five ships hovering outside the planet's atmosphere. Didn't bother to reach out, I just bulked up our defenses and warned all the locals," the blonde explained.

"Well done," Lion-O nodded.

"Cheetara said you needed me," Arzu said as she walked into the Control Room.

"Do those ships look familiar?" the King asked. The female lizard worked her way closer to the screen.

"Sweet Gods of Plundarr…" she murmured.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Those ships shouldn't exist," she said, obviously recognizing the ships.

"What do you mean?" Mandora asked.

"We were told they were dead…" Arzu shook her head, unsure if she could believe her eyes.

"Well someone lied then," Cheetara said.

"And I have a good idea whom. Can you make an all-points bulletin?" Arzu wondered.

"Yes ma'am," Private Doogle said.

"Open a channel," Arzu told him.


	23. Chapter 23

"To all Mutant ships in the vicinity, yes, we know you're out there. This is Arzu, Captain of the repair ship one-niner-delta. Yes, I'm alive and I intend to keep it that way. If you intend to keep yourself that way, listen up! Slythe is in the custody of the ThunderCats and he is staying that way. Attempt anything and you'll find them not in the mood. My advice to you is to move on. We've all been lied to and there should be no more deaths because of the Mutant High Council. Did you really think they'd hold up their end of the bargain? Do you trust them to keep you alive if you managed to get the target? I think we all know the answer to that. So, go and be on your way," Arzu announced over the airwaves. Lion-O gave her a look, tell her that he thought it was a bold statement to make.

"Her stones are as big as Mandora's," Cheetara said.

"I'd take offense if it weren't true," Mandora chuckled.

"So how long do we wait to see what they have to say?" Private Doogle asked.

"They won't hang around long if they've decided to leave. If they don't, I'd say fire a warning shot," Arzu said.

"Sounds like a good idea or we can remind them that the Evil Chasers are on their way," Mandora told them.

"That might be the bigger the gun in this situation," Slythe nodded.

"Very true. Give them five more minutes," Mandora agreed.

"I'm going to check in with Tygra then. A little surprised that Panthro hasn't given us an update on the Feliner," Lion-O frowned.

"You want me to check?" Cheetara wondered.

"Please do," he smiled and the cheetah left the room at all haste. Lion-O picked up the phone and called down to the Med Bay.

"Med Bay," it was Refik which took the King back a little.

"It's Lion-O. How's things down there?" he asked.

"Not good. Tygra and Lea rushed Pumyra into surgery. The baby moved and things went south fast," Refik admitted.

"Sweet Jaga," Lion-O heaved a sigh.

"I'll try to keep you posted but I don't have surgical experience so I'm just manning the phones and supply runner," Refik told him.

"Please do whatever is needed," Lion-O said.

"Yes, sir," and with that the phone call was over.

"Not good huh?" Mandora asked.

"No unfortunately not. It's come to emergency surgery," the lion swallowed hard.

"Oh dear," Willa shook her head.

"The gods will watch over her and the little one. Odin owes me a favor," Snowman said.

"Well thank him for me when this is all over," Lion-O smiled slightly.

"I should see if I can help," Wizz-Ra said.

"Please, anything you can do," the King said.

"Of course," with that the ancient wizard left the room. The mood in the room turned sour and silent. No one wanted anything to happen to Pumyra and the baby. Regrettably, that was just one problem on their plate.

"I'm issuing my warning. No one has moved," Mandora said.

"If they don't move within a minute of your announcement, fire the warning shot. It won't reach the planet's atmosphere, but it'll show that we're ready and we can hit them if they get any closer," Lion-O said. Cheetara reentered the room while Mandora was making the announcement.

"Panthro says the ship is mostly ready. Definitely not sturdy enough to take on multiple ships," she said.

"Then let's hope that Mandora and Arzu's idea works," Lion-O heaved a sigh.


	24. Chapter 24

Mandora had issued her warning and still none of the ships moved. They were playing hard ball. The Evil Chaser frowned. She really didn't think that her warning would go unanswered. The radio crackled to life and Private Turenne opened the channel.

"This is Captain Baki of cruiser six-three-seven. I'd like a private word with Captain Arzu," he said. The Mutant stepped up to the radio and the Private handed her the receiver.

"Baki, you old bastard. I didn't think you'd be one of the ones at this crossroads," Arzu said.

"And you sound pretty good for a dead woman. Can I talk to you? My crew and I are willing to land and surrender in order to talk," Baki told her. Arzu turned to Lion-O who nodded.

"Ok. The ThunderCats have agreed to allow your ship and your ship only to land. Anyone attempts to follow, and they'll find out just what the ThunderCats are capable of," Arzu told him.

"Aye, aye. See you in a few," with that the conversation ended.

"You know this guy?" Mandora gave her a look.

"Everyone knows Baki. He must have really pissed someone off," Arzu shook her head.

"Captain Baki was once the right hand of the High Council. Well until they gave him orders that he refused to follow. They knew executing him for treason could start a war. So, they banished him and the Mutants directly under him who refused to follow the order," Slythe explained.

"We had this picture of Mutants – I mean – we were always told that you were mostly a mindless bunch. Led by those chosen few who were out to destroy those that threatened your way of life. You traded shots over the bow with Thunderians and we basically became enemies overnight. You attacked our ships, just to get at the Eye of Thundera. Not caring who you killed on your way," Lion-O was surprised.

"It would seem that we were all under the wrong impressions," Lynx-O spoke up. He'd just been sitting in the Control Room, quietly listening.

"Well truth be told; we weren't exactly given much choice. Disobeying the High Council or their representatives could lead to your death. It is because of the Captain that most of us learned to stand up. Still, we needed to choose our battles. The mood is shifting on the planet, but we still have a long road to go. What you are currently experiencing is our awakening. Most Mutants will not hesitate to follow the High Council, as evidenced by my mutinous crew," Arzu explained.

"Point," Lion-O nodded.

"I think that some of the ladies and I need to accompany Lion-O out to meet our visitors. We do not know what the Captain now holds in his heart," Willa spoke up.

"I would agree," Slythe nodded. Lion-O headed for the door and Mandora called out to the Warrior Maidens who were holed up in the main dining room.

Meanwhile, Panthro and Robear Bill were trying to run some final checks on the Feliner when Robear Belle beeped at them. Robear Bill turned and saw Leanna walking into the hangar. The look on her face made him nervous. He poked Panthro, who turned and saw the lioness. Quickly he rushed over to her and pulled her into his arms.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"We managed to get the baby out but Pumyra started hemorrhaging. Wizz-Ra tried to stop the bleeding using his magic, but he could only slow it enough for us to find it. We tried, we really did," Lea was close to tears.

"What happened?" Panthro pressed.

"We had to perform a hysterectomy. We didn't have a choice. She can't have any more children. The poor little one she gave birth to is so small…" Lea just shook her head. The panther pulled her as close as he could, kissing her forehead. It was not the news everyone had wanted to hear but for now both Pumyra and the baby had made it through. The road ahead however was very uncertain.


	25. Chapter 25

"Quite the welcoming committee," Captain Baki said as he approached Lion-O. The rat looked at the Warrior Maidens and then back at the lion and Arzu, who stood next to him.

"Well you can never be too careful. I am King Lion-O, Lord of the ThunderCats. Welcome to Third Earth," the lion stuck his hand out and Baki took it with a firm grasp.

"Thank you. It's been awhile since our feet have touched real earth," Baki admitted.

"When was the last time you had something decent to eat?" Lion-O asked.

"We picked up fresh food on our last stop at a space station but that was weeks ago," the rat told them.

"Then dinner is in order. Willa, would you escort Baki's crew to the dining room and make sure they're all settled?" Lion-O looked to the Warrior Maiden Queen.

"We'll keep them company," she nodded.

"Thank you. Please let Snarf know we'll need a meal in the small conference room as well. I'd like you to join us, if you could," he said.

"I look forward to it," she nodded and ordered her soldiers to escort the crew inside.

"A formidable woman to be sure," Baki had a slight smile on his face.

"You will find Queen Willa and her Warrior Maidens to be some of the fiercest warriors in the galaxy. Their skill and determination are only matched by their compassion and loyalty. I trust them with my life," Lion-O told him.

"Loyal warriors are indeed a thing to treasure. I have a feeling that Captain Arzu knows that all too well," Baki admitted. The group turned to head into the Lair.

"Regrettably, I do. Lion-O is doing me the favor of keeping the mutinous bunch in his cells," Arzu explained.

"Justice will be done, one way or the other," Baki nodded.

"The Evil Chasers are on their way here. Mandora was not lying about that. They will be taken from here and sent to the Penal Planet," Lion-O explained as they entered the Lair. Moving down the hall, they walked into the small conference room. Lion-O quickly made introductions. Panthro, Cheetara, Lynx-O, Snowman, Slythe, Mandora, and Wizz-Ra had gathered in the room, leaving the others to man the kitchen and Med Bay.

"We're all set down in the dining room," Willa announced as she entered the room, meal in hand for Captain Baki. The Warrior Maiden Queen handed him the plate of mashed potatoes, venison, and beans with some silverware. Panthro had fired up the coffee maker and handed him a cup of coffee.

"Thank you," Lion-O smiled at her. She nodded and took seat next to Snowman.

"Well this looks fabulous. Certainly, better than my rations. Now I'm imagining you want to know how I got here and why I called this meeting," he said before taking a spoonful of potatoes.

"Certainly, surprised you ended up in our neck of the woods. When they banished you and your troops, I thought for sure you'd end up making a living on a space station," Slythe spoke up.

"Seems we haven't shaken the stigma of being Mutants. Do business with us, sure. Let us live on a station, no chance. We've been doing the best we can with what we have. Why I wanted to have this conversation not over the radio was because we're mounting a rebellion," Baki explained before taking another bite of food.

"A rebellion?" Arzu gave him a look.

"Those ships in the atmosphere have pledged their loyalty to me. I still have loyal troops on Plundarr. I intend to overthrow the High Council and I could use some Mutants like you," Baki said. He was definitely enjoying the food he'd been given and had manners, which surprised Lion-O.

"A noble goal to be sure but the High Council has eyes and ears everywhere. How can you be sure that they don't know you're coming? Or that someone hasn't spilled their guts?" Slythe asked.

"I don't know for sure but my man on the inside has been sending coded messages via our nearest space station. Only he and I know the code so even if they forced him to send a message, he could encode a warning," the rat explained.

"Seems fairly tight but you still seem outnumbered," Panthro spoke up.

"Well we are a little on the short side but once you announced that the Evil Chasers were coming, I wondered if that wasn't our answer," Baki told them.

"You want the Evil Chasers to help you overthrow the High Council?" Mandora gave him a look.

"I can't think of a better way to get what everyone wants – peace in the galaxy. It would end the wars with Plundarr's moons and the possible civil war that is already brewing. If the High Council is arrested on charges of crimes against Mutant Kind, then the Evil Chasers can take them away and a new form of government can be established. A peaceful transition, rather than war and death," he suggested.

"I'm not sure the Space Council will go for that. Perhaps it is best we wait until the battle cruiser arrives in about a day and a half and speak to the Captain," Mandora said.

"Fine by me. I will collect my crew and we'll head back into space. I don't want the Evil Chasers to think we're trying a take over here," Baki said. Lion-O looked at Slythe who gave him a slight nod. A private conversation was in order.


	26. Chapter 26

"Ok, I don't want to step on anyone's toes, but I think Captain Baki has lost his marbles," Lion-O said. It was about an hour later after the Mutant had returned to his ship with his crew. Now it was just Cheetara, Lion-O, Slythe, and Arzu in the small conference room.

"I have to be honest; I think you're right," Slythe spoke up.

"You were with him longer than I was. Did he ever talk about going to the Space Council?" Arzu gave her friend a look.

"No. He had always been of the mind that only Mutants could take care of the problem. I suppose that something could have changed," the lizard frowned.

"Well that's possible. Neither one of you has been in day to day contact with him since his banishment, right?" Cheetara wondered.

"No. Once he was banished, there was no way to contact him. The biggest reason was our ships have a limited radio system. We can only contact planets and space stations when in range of their systems. Our ship to ship system is fantastic but the long-range stuff, not so much," Arzu explained.

"And in order to have access to the planet to ship system on Plundarr, you'd need to be where?" Lion-O asked.

"The only people who had strong enough radios for that would have been in the High Council's building. Most of our ground equipment was all short range," Slythe told them.

"So once Baki's ship left the atmosphere and then range of the moons, there would have been only a chance of accidental run-ins," Cheetara said.

"Correct. Neither one of us were forced out near when he was and we would not have known where to look for him," Arzu nodded.

"You thinking that it's a ploy?" Slythe wondered.

"Well I'm not entirely sure. Having the Evil Chasers go in there could lead to a lot of death. Certainly, most of the folks back on your planet would defend themselves against them. On the other hand, if they announce that they are just there for the High Council, then maybe they'll cough them up to save their own skins," Lion-O said.

"We don't know anything of the climate back home. I was surprised that Mandora even bothered to suggest they bring the battle cruiser into it. Thought she'd shoot him down right away," Arzu admitted.

"I did as well. There could be something else at play here. Perhaps she was just worried that if she turned him down flat that he'd go charging off and get everyone in his command killed," Cheetara suggested.

"That is a good point. So, should we try and talk him out of it or what should we do?" Slythe wanted to know.

"Get some sleep and see what we can do in the morning," the King said. With that, the little group broke up and went their separate ways. Lion-O told Cheetara he had to make a stop in the Med Bay, and she promised to meet up with him later.

"How are the patients?" Lion-O asked as he approached Tygra once he was inside the Med Bay.

"Pumyra has yet to wake up. Ben-Gali refuses to leave her side, which I can't blame him. He told me that he wants to be the one to tell her the bad news," the orange tiger told him.

"And the little one?" The lion wanted to know.

"Lea has refused to leave him since she came back from her break. He's very touch and go. Being this early, not everything is formed properly. The only way he can breathe is through a machine. The only way to get food is intravenously. The incubator is keeping him warm. I had Mandora put in a call to the medical staff on the battle cruiser for advice. They're bringing equipment and medical help," Tygra let him know.

"Good. Keep me posted. I'll see Ben-Gali in the morning. I'm sure he's exhausted," Lion-O said.

"Beyond it. We all are down here," the orange tiger heaved a sigh.

"Get some rest old friend. You did well," the lion clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Well would have been saving Pumyra's body from all of that," Tygra shook his head.

"Between you, Lea, Refik, and Wizz-Ra, there was nothing else you could have done. She may not be able to have more cubs but she's alive and I know that everyone in the Lair would prefer that to the alternative," Lion-O reminded him before saying, "get some rest. The medical back up should be in late tomorrow." Tygra nodded. Hopefully, they could help the little cub more than he'd been able to.


	27. Chapter 27

"Back up is approximately ten hours out," Mandora announced as she walked into the main conference room. Lion-O had called a meeting of all the leaders of the peoples of Third Earth, the major exception being Robear Bill and Robear Belle since they were down in the hangar. The meeting was scheduled for after breakfast and Slythe and Arzu were included in the attendees.

"That's about seven pm," Lion-O frowned.

"Best we could do. Tiberius is hauling ass but the medical equipment we need for the baby had to be picked up from a space station about two hours out of the way. Babies aren't exactly expected on a battle cruiser," the blonde admitted as she took her seat next to Cheetara.

"No, I appreciate everything you and the Evil Chasers are doing. I'm more concerned that Baki won't wait until then," the lion clarified.

"Ah I see your point," Mandora nodded.

"I mean no offense, but I thought the Captain's plan seemed a little bananas," Willa spoke up.

"You aren't the only one," Wizz-Ra agreed.

"I like his ambition but even Odin would question the wisdom of the idea," Snowman said.

"Ok so it would seem that we're all in agreement," Lion-O said.

"I did not mention it to Tiberius when we spoke this morning. I feel as though the Space Council will see this as an opportunity, but I do agree. It could go from good idea to cluster in about thirty seconds," Mandora chimed in.

"My bigger concern is his reaction when he decides that he doesn't like the answer that the Space Council gives him," Cheetara brought up something that everyone had concerns over.

"Well I don't think he'd be crazy enough to try anything with the battle cruiser here, but I take your point. The last thing we want him doing is committing suicide trying to get his revenge on either us or the High Council," the Evil Chaser admitted.

"We've been put in a weird place because of this. If we do not help, it looks like we're traitors. If we do help and we fail…" Arzu shook her head. Underneath the table, Slythe took her hand in his. They had finally found each other again and he wasn't sure he could lose another loved one.

"Let me say that I don't have any intention of forcing anyone to do anything they don't want to. To be honest, my intention is to let Baki and his ships go – with or without the Evil Chasers help. We are not prepared to take on the entirety of Plundarr and I don't want to endanger anyone on this planet. Arzu, you and your crew, are welcome to make Third Earth your home," Lion-O told the group.

"We would be honored to be accepted here and I'm sure that my crew would like to be here but I would not be surprised if some of them wanted to go back to Plundarr if given the chance," Arzu said.

"They can do that if they wish. I would not stop them," Lion-O nodded. Then the phone rang in the room and Panthro quickly got up and answered it. He wasn't on the line long before hanging up.

"Robear Bill says that the Feliner is done. He'd like our opinion," the panther smiled.

"I don't know where we'd be without the Berbils," Lion-O was glad to hear it.

"How functional is it?" Mandora asked.

"Well I guess we'll have to find out. It's kind of being held together with chicken wire and spit," Panthro smirked before heading out of the room and down to the hangar.

"He's joking right?" Arzu gave everyone a look.


	28. Chapter 28

"Commander Tiberius, we are very glad to see you," Lion-O greeted the man and shook his hand. The battle cruiser was now in orbit and the Commander had taken a shuttle to the surface with the medical team.

"We do need to stop meeting like this. Couldn't just call to share a nice meal?" the man teased.

"It wouldn't be Third Earth if it wasn't a four-alarm fire," Mandora spoke up, shaking Tiberius' hand as well.

"I thought we were getting away from the fighting and violence," Arzu spoke up. She was quickly introduced to the Evil Chaser and he shook her hand.

"Well I imagine that once we get Captain Baki all settled, Third Earth will be pretty boring," Tiberius smirked.

"Let us hope so," Cheetara said, shaking the Commander's hand.

"First, let me introduce Doctor Avery and his team. They have the equipment to help your little one," Tiberius told them. The team stepped forward and quickly introduced themselves.

"Good to meet you all. Tygra and the medical team didn't want to leave the patients. Things are very unstable," Lion-O explained.

"Well then we better get going," Doctor Avery said.

"I'll take you," Cheetara offered. The medical team grabbed their equipment and headed up the stairs. They made their way down the hall and then made the turn into the Med Bay.

"Tygra, your medical helpers have arrived," Cheetara announced.

"Thank Jaga," the orange tiger said as he approached them. Introductions were quickly made and then the team split up – some to check on the baby and the rest to take a look at Pumyra.

"How are you doing?" Cheetara asked Lea. The lioness had let the more qualified professionals step in to take care of the premature baby.

"I'm exhausted," Lea admitted. The cheetah pulled her into a hug.

"I think you deserve a break," Cheetara said.

"I'm past the point. I may sleep for a whole day," Lea admitted as they pulled apart.

"Panthro is on his way to make sure you get to your room. Lion-O says you are officially off-duty for the next three days," the cheetah told her.

"That is much too generous. I should be back here," Lea tried to argue.

"I would do what Lady Cheetara suggests. Get some rest, Lady Lea. We have done all we can do," Refik walked up to them.

"You deserve some rest too. Thank you for jumping in to help," Cheetara told him.

"Glad I could do whatever was needed. Someone may need to sedate Lord Tygra to get him to leave his patients," Refik said.

"I'll work on him next," the cheetah nodded.

"Very good ma'am," the monkian smiled.

"Ma'am? Goodness gracious. I think you've earned the right to call me Cheetara," she said.

"I'm pretty sure you deserve a higher title. I may not have been here long, but it would seem to me that if King Lion-O is not checking in, then you are. Forgive me but I believe we are standing next to a future Queen," Refik pointed out.

"You are very astute. I have accepted Lion-O's proposal. We intended to be married but things, well they have a way of being crazy around here," Cheetara admitted.

"Well then congratulations are in order and I'll be sticking with ma'am," Refik nodded.

"All right, well off you go. Commander Tiberius will be meeting with Captain Baki shortly and things might get weird in a hurry," the cheetah told them. That's when Panthro walked through the door and scooped up he lioness.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Giving you a ride back to your room," the panther smirked. Refik chuckled as the panther took the lioness out of the room.

"Goodnight ma'am," the monkian smiled and left the room. Cheetara shook her head and went to find Tygra.


	29. Chapter 29

"Captain Baki, your reputation precedes you," Commander Tiberius smiled as he shook hands with the Mutant. It was only half an hour after the Evil Chasers had arrived. Now Tiberius, Mandora, Lion-O, Cheetara, Willa, Nada, Snowman, Robear Bill, Robear Bell, Slythe, and Arzu sat with Baki in the large conference room.

"And the Evil Chasers' precedes you. I take it that Officer First Class Mandora explained to you the situation," Baki said.

"Indeed…" Tiberius didn't get to finish as the door to the room opened. Everyone turned but could see who had triggered the door.

"Woof," came a familiar noise.

"Ma-Mutt, shouldn't you be helping Snowmeow?" Lion-O was concerned as the dog hopped onto his lap.

"The prisoner transfer must be complete," Snowman said.

"Simmons was making sure that the prisoners were loaded aboard the battle cruiser. I hope they are giving Snowmeow a decent meal for all his help," Mandora explained.

"I'm sure they are," Tiberius smirked.

"I do apologize. Please continue," Lion-O said.

"Not to worry. There is a lot of business here that needs handling. So, what does the Space Council say?" Baki wanted to know.

"The Space Council is interested but they have some concerns," Tiberius told him.

"I imagine they would," Baki admitted.

"They are not in the habit of getting in the middle of such issues – we regulate the galaxy, not control it. If we were to step in, there would be requirements. Would you and the people of Plundarr be willing to follow those requirements? You have to understand that the last thing that Plundarr needs is another dictator. This effort will be your steps toward a more democratic approach," the Commander said.

"You mean like electing our ruler or rulers?" the rat wondered.

"Yes. This will not be easy. Deposing the High Council will make people concerned. So, you have to be willing to let us teach and explain and once everything is in place, we will be making quarterly check-ins for at least two years. Oversight but not control. However, people may not see it that way. Do you think that the people of Plundarr are ready? There is no point in attempting this if it leads to a civil war or anything where people die," Tiberius explained.

"I do not know how they would take what you call "oversight". The feelings are changing but I cannot claim people won't die. Nothing is that simple and I would think you would know that," Baki gave him a look.

"I know that. You know that. What the Space Council needs to hear is that you think we can do something to help you and your people. They are not going to get any Evil Chasers killed over this. They know this is a dangerous move for them as it is for you. There needs to be a plan and not a half-cocked one," the Commander said. Baki nodded. He seemed to understand but Lion-O wondered if the conversation was going in the direction that the Mutant had wanted it.

"What of the peoples of Third Earth? Will they be assisting?" Baki asked.

"We cannot help in your endeavor. Should anyone from here want to do so, they are free to, but no force will be assembled. We do not have the equipment, nor do we have the manpower. If we tried, we would leave this planet unprotected. We do wish you the best and once things have calmed down; we would wish to try and form a friendship between our planets. There is much we can accomplish together. Know that if we could help, we would," Lion-O spoke up.

"You have lost much. With you as King, I know that had Thundera been whole, I could have relied on your help. That is worth a lot. Hopefully, there are more Thunderians out there, seeking a home to come to. They will find one on Third Earth," Baki smiled slightly.

"You are too kind. I do hate that we cannot be of more help. We all wish for a whole Plundarr," the King said.

"You have been a help. You have reached out to the Space Council for us. I'm not sure they would have taken my call. This is the first step. One of many. I must mull over the offer. This might be the only chance to do what we need to, but everything has a cost. Thank all of you for your time," Baki said.

"Please have your crew and the crews of the other ships come and eat a real meal. No matter your decision, we will give you a load of fresh food for your travels," Lion-O told him.

"You are too kind. I shall alert the men," Baki bowed his head and then left the room. Lion-O looked at Cheetara and she made a face. Everyone had the same feeling. What was next?


	30. Chapter 30

The night was a long one. Lion-O was sure that he didn't get much sleep as he spent most of the night wondering what Baki would do or say. To him, there was no easy way out of this. It still seemed like suicide, no matter what option he chose. If he did not take the Evil Chasers help, then the High Council would blow him out of the sky before they ever got close enough. If he took their help, his own people could kill him for the idea of "oversight" as Tiberius had mentioned. The Commander had been right. Plundarr could not afford another dictatorship. While the High Council were technically not a dictatorship, they behaved as one.

"I've seen that look before," Cheetara commented as she rolled on top of him.

"Am I that easy to read?" He asked, looking down at his fiancée, moving his arms around her waist.

"Sometimes my King. Of course, things are kind of difficult at this moment. Our own are dealing with some problems along with our allies," the cheetah said.

"I suppose there will be more trouble as we rule together," Lion-O nodded.

"That is why we will do it together. The weight of the world can be heavy and definitely a burden that needs to be shared," Cheetara said, putting her head on his chest. Lion-O kissed the top of her head.

"How'd I get so lucky?" He wondered.

"Well I've been told that I'm quite the catch," she teased.

"That you are. I'll remind you of it every day," he promised.

"Ah I see. You flatter me, my King," Cheetara smiled and kissed his bare chest.

"You honor me. You had every right to never open your heart again. No one would blame you. The fact that you chose me… I will never be able to express just how much that means to me," Lion-O admitted.

"I believe you tried last night," the cheetah smirked. Admittedly, before sleep, the two tried to make the most of the time they had together – something that had been in short supply while sleeping different shifts.

"Tried? I did not succeed?" He asked.

"Oh, you did, my King. I only wish we'd been able to go a few more rounds," she chuckled, and it moved from her body into his.

"Well perhaps I can accommodate you soon. I'm surprised we even got in what we did," Lion-O told her.

"I fully expected to be asleep as soon as I crawled into bed," Cheetara admitted.

"Probably my fault. I started something that we apparently both wanted to finish despite being exhausted," he smirked.

"Anytime my King, anytime," she kissed his chest one more time before crawling off of him and heading for the shower.

"We can't be late for breakfast," the cheetah reminded him, her hips swaying as she moved.

"Right behind you," he promised. They were soon under the hot water, enjoying each other's company. Still they knew that breakfast more than likely brought Captain Baki's final decision.

They entered the dining room to find Slythe and Arzu sitting with the rest of her crew. Ayşegül, Hamza, Refik, and Esen had looks on their faces that made Lion-O wonder what was going on. He indicated to Cheetara that he was going to go talk to them and she nodded before heading to make them breakfast.

"I hope those looks don't mean what I think they do," Lion-O took a seat next to Slythe.

"You have been most kind to us King Lion-O but…" Esen stopped herself.

"But you want to go back to Plundarr?" He asked.

"I will not be going back. Lord Tygra has said he will help me become a doctor, something my mother had always wished for me. With her gone, I will honor her memory," Refik said.

"We will be glad to have you," Lion-O smiled.

"I will not go back," Ayşegül told him.

"I am with her," Hamza said.

"Then you are both welcome," Lion-O said, wondering what Esen was worried about.

"Choice is not something we are used to. I would love to stay here with my comrades, but I worry the choice will not be mine to be made," Esen explained.

"Baki will expect you to join him," the King said.

"I fear it. How can we say 'no'? He is the reason we knew that we had a choice. He is the reason that we are now free. The Captain would not have stood her ground had he not inspired her," Esen told him.

"You are free to make your own decisions. We allow that here on Third Earth. If we need to fight for you to stay, we will do so," there was no hesitation in the Thunderian's voice.

"This is why he is King. I will enjoy my time here," Arzu smiled.

"So, you're staying because of him?" Slythe gave her a look.

"I finally got you back. You think I'm leaving you now?" Arzu gave him a look of her own.

"Good. Then you will be the first contingent of Mutants to live freely amongst us. As such, Third Earth will do whatever we can for our friends. Do you think that if I offered amnesty to Baki's troops they will abandon their mission?" Lion-O suddenly asked.

"A free Plundarr is very alluring. I would be hard pressed to believe they would. However, if they think death is what they are headed for, they may abandon ship as it were," Arzu admitted.

"Well then I'll speak to the other leaders and we'll see what shakes loose," Lion-O nodded. He was about to stand up when Cheetara approached, Mandora in tow.

"Baki wants to speak in twenty minutes," the Evil Chaser said.


	31. Chapter 31

"I have mulled over your offer and discussed it with the ships that followed me here," Captain Baki said. He had met the group in the conference room. Commander Tiberius, Mandora, Lion-O, Cheetara, Arzu, Slythe, Willa, Nada, Snowman, Wizz-Ra, Ro-Bear Bill, Ro-Bear Belle, rounded out the room.

"And what has been decided?" Commander Tiberius asked.

"My crews are wavering. They worry that our people will see this union as a betrayal. As much as the peoples of Plundarr want to be rid of the High Council, they do not want non-Plundarrians running the show, even if only for a little while," Baki said.

"The other options are not exactly leading to a sunny future. The High Council won't let you onto the planet's surface. They will send troops to destroy you and your crews. You will be vastly outnumbered. Is there any way to maybe spread word on your planet about the possibility of us helping? Take their temperature if you will?" Mandora wanted to know.

"That could put my inside man in trouble. If he dies, we have no connection to our home and all hope of working from the inside would be lost. I could not ask him to do such a thing. His family would be ostracized," Baki shook his head.

"Then perhaps we can offer a different door," Lion-O spoke up.

"You had promised help but unless I'm mistaken, not much has changed in one night," the Rat said.

"Well a little has changed. We would, as a planet, extend a hand to you and your troops. You could put down roots here. Create a little Plundarr as it were. Arzu and her crew are staying here as is Slythe. You and your troops could join them. Help us to protect this planet. It would not be the same, we all realize this, but it would be a chance to stop wandering space. To put down some roots and live a less nomadic life. The Evil Chasers have put out a call for us for any Thunderians to come join us. Perhaps, in a few years, we could attempt a diplomatic option with help from the Evil Chasers," Lion-O told him.

"You would do this?" Baki gave him and the rest of the room a look.

"We have a habit of picking up strays," Willa smirked at her own joke. Cheetara turned her head to look at her, a smile on her face, while she feigned hurt.

"It's worked out pretty well so far," Snowman nodded.

"But you must know that it comes with rules," Wizz-Ra said.

"That would go without saying. Follow the rules of the planet, I think we could manage that. I worry that you don't know what you're taking on. Should the High Council find out…" Baki let their imaginations do the walking.

"Good thing that the Space Council views Third Earth as a premium ally. If you do not take our offer but take their offer, I have been authorized to leave a battle cruiser here. I have doubts that the High Council would try anything, unless they want a war," Tiberius spoke up.

"That would look like I have sold my soul to the enemy. It would seem there is a rock and a very hard place that we find ourselves," the Rat frowned.

"It will look like what it is – a man who protected his troops and gave them a better life. Something you always intended for Plundarr. They know who you are and what you've done for them. There are many out there who will understand. Besides, it'll chafe the High Council's asses that you managed to not only survive off planet but thrive," Slythe finally voiced his opinion.

"The peoples of this planet have offered us a home. Swear your allegiance to the leaders in this room and you will gain great allies and friends. We have only been here a short time and already they have bent over backwards to include us. I know my crew is safe here and there isn't anything more I could ask for," Arzu was almost pleading with him.

"Loyalty is a two-way street. Betray that loyalty and find yourselves on the wrong end of my spear," Willa spoke up.

"Your Maidens are fierce warriors and know the value of loyalty. Trust me that, if I can convince my troops to this option, they will prove to you they understand what you mean. I can only expect the loyalty and the honor they have shown me will be shown to everyone in this room and to the other peoples of this planet. You must know that the first question they will ask is about the fight for Plundarr. I can count on everyone's help, should the opportunity arise?" Baki wanted to know.

"We will do all that we can, within reason. No suicide missions," Lion-O nodded. The Rat nodded as well.

"Then you must give me time to discuss the option with them. There are forty-nine minds that I need to deal with," Baki said.

"Of course. I'm not due to check in until tomorrow morning," Tiberius told him.

"Very good you shall have your answer by then," Baki nodded.


	32. Chapter 32

"Another restless night my King," Cheetara was staring up at the ceiling of the lion's bedroom.

"I'm going to have to learn how to sleep while big things are going on. I do apologize," Lion-O was staring at the ceiling as well. He'd spent most of the night tossing and turning, meaning not only did he not get enough sleep, neither did his fiancée.

"These things come with time – or so I've been told. We better get a move on," she said, pulling herself out of bed.

"Right behind you," he said.

"You think Baki will take you up on your offer?" Cheetara asked as she hopped into the shower.

"I honestly don't know. He's so ready to change things on Plundarr but he also probably sees how not going in with backup would be suicide," Lion-O admitted, hopping in behind her.

"I have a feeling like death will come for him no matter what his answer is. The Mutant High Council will want his head. Any of his own men, who feel that they're kowtowing to the Evil Chasers, will bide their time before acting. Heck, even if things go according to our plan, the minute the Evil Chasers leave Plundarr, he'll stand a good chance of being assassinated," the cheetah frowned as she washed.

"You really think so?" Lion-O frowned as well.

"Many men who lead the revolution do not live very long. They are often betrayed by their own for not following through everything that they promised – or at least the murderer thinks so. Or they become massively paranoid and use their power to commit atrocities which someone will try and wipe them out for later. There are some exceptions, of course, but things are not necessarily stacked in their favor," Cheetara finished up and hopped out of the shower.

"Maybe we could convince them to stay here permanently?" Lion-O wondered.

"Would you stay put or try to free Thundera?" She asked.

"Point taken," the lion shut off the water and grabbed his towel. They quickly got dressed and headed down to breakfast. They ate and were surprised that they hadn't heard anything from the Captain and his troops.

"Lion-O, we've got a bit of a situation," Mandora said as she approached their table.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Two of Baki's ships took off during the night. The remaining three won't respond to radio calls," the Evil Chaser said.

"That can't be good," Cheetara said.

"No, we're launching boarding vehicles to see what we can find. Do you and the ThunderCats want in?" Mandora wanted to know.

"Yes, we do," Lion-O nodded.

"Meet me out front in five," the blonde told them. Cheetara quickly corralled Panthro, Lea, the ThunderKittens, and Ben-Gali. The white tiger had finally left Pumyra's side, only because she made him. She wanted to be sure that he was eating and sleeping. She watched over their tiny cub and Lea had been counseling her after Ben-Gali had delivered the devastating news. The puma would not be able to leave the Med Bay for at least a few weeks and then she'd be back to help keep an eye on the still unnamed baby. Lynx-O had taken over for her husband and the puma was grateful to have her old friend there for her.

"What do you think happened?" Panthro asked.

"I'm having a bad feeling, that's for sure," Lea frowned.

"So am I," Lion-O agreed as they all headed for the Lair's front door.


	33. Chapter 33

Mandora, Lion-O, and Cheetara boarded the first ship while the other split up amongst the other ships. The three boarded to find a jackal lying on the floor near the door. Mandora felt for a pulse but only found a cold corpse. Rolling him over, there was a blaster wound to the chest.

"That's not good," the blonde said.

"No, it is not," Lion-O shook his head. They moved down the hallway until they reached the control room. At the controls, a vulture sat, his eyes unseeing the screens in front of him. Mandora, again, felt for a pulse but found nothing but cold death, and another shot to the chest.

"What the hell happened here?" Cheetara wanted to know.

"I didn't think they'd turn on each other," Mandora admitted. They moved further into the ship, inspecting, and looking for any clues as to what had happened. The galley was empty as was the bathroom. Only two spaces remained – the bunk room and the storage hold.

Mandora was the first through the door in the bunk room. She cursed and Lion-O and Cheetara followed her into the room. There were more dead Mutants. All five had been blasted to death with laser blasters.

"How did no one get a call out for help?" Lion-O asked.

"I have no idea. Maybe our vulture friend was trying and got killed for his trouble," Mandora frowned.

"The storage hold needs to be checked," Cheetara spoke up.

"I'm going to radio the others. See what they've found," the blonde spoke up before quickly using her helmet to reach the other two boarding teams. The two ThunderCats waited to hear what the Evil Chaser had to say, worrying about what they may find in the storage hold. Mandora heaved a sigh and turned toward her friends.

"How bad is it?" Lion-O wanted to know.

"Bad. Corporal Simmons and his team found ten dead and Technician Kane's team found ten more," Mandora frowned.

"So, with our seven – that's over half of those who were occupying all of the ships. Any sign of Baki?" Cheetara asked.

"No. I don't think he would have killed his own," Mandora said.

"I didn't get that vibe off of him," Lion-O admitted. The three made their way to the storage hatch. Lion-O held his breath as they opened the hatch. Mandora used a flashlight from her belt to light up the hold.

"Damn," the blonde cursed. There in the hold was Baki. He'd been beaten and shot. Lion-O used the latter to move down inside the space and checked for a pulse.

"He's gone," he told them.

"Ok, lets retreat. I'll call the battle cruiser and get a forensics team in here. We need to hold those that took off accountable," Mandora said. Lion-O climbed out and the three headed for their boarding ship.

Once back on the ground, Mandora and the Evil Chasers got to work while the ThunderCats headed back inside. Panthro, Ben-Gali, and the ThunderKittens went to get their new Mutant friends and the rest of the leaders of Third Earth while Lion-O and Cheetara moved into the large conference room.

"How do I tell them what has happened?" he asked his fiancée.

"The only thing you can do is be honest. My guess is that those who perpetrated these terrible crimes didn't want our hospitality and didn't want Evil Chaser involvement. Baki must have been skating on thinner ice than we thought," Cheetara put a hand on his forearm. The first few people started coming in through the door and Lion-O swallowed hard.

"What's going on?" Slythe asked as he took a seat. More soon followed behind him and finally Panthro brought up the rear.

"I have some very distressing news," Lion-O started.


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more to go in this one. Thanks for reading!

To say that the Mutants handled the news badly would be an understatement. Slythe was angry and Arzu actually cried. Hamza and Ayşegül were stoic which most chalked up to shock while Refik did the best he could to comfort Esen, who looked like she was on the verge of a breakdown. It was all understandable. With Baki's death, the dreams of a changed Plundarr died as well.

"We must bury them properly," Refik spoke up.

"If that is what you want, we will scope out a spot to bury them all," Lion-O nodded.

"What of the swine that did this?" Slythe wanted to know.

"Mandora says that once the investigation of the ships is complete, charges will be brought against those that fled. Currently all of the Interplanetary Control Force is out looking for the ships," Cheetara told them.

"Please know that this has not changed your status here. What they did has not and will not reflect on you. We will begin construction on a settlement outside the Lair for both you and the other Thunderians that were rescued. We have gotten behind because of all that is going on, but we will begin again," Lion-O explained.

"We will help," Arzu spoke up.

"It is appreciated. For now, just grieve as you must. Tomorrow starts a new day, one that I hope means more for everyone on this planet," the King smiled slightly. With that, the crowd began to disperse. Willa and Nada stopped to talk to Lion-O and Cheetara, telling them that they must head home to check up on things. They would return if needed in a week's time, but Lion-O told them that they could stay home. They had been away from their people long enough and with the Evil Chasers at the Lair; the Warrior Maidens were not needed to keep the peace.

Similarly, Wizz-Ra said he needed to return to his pyramid but promised to be back if he was needed. Ro-Bear Bill and Ro-Bear Belle promised that they would return with more Berbils the next day so that a settlement could be made. The weather would turn cold in just a couple months and any work to be done outside would need to cease. Lion-O thanked them profusely once again. He had no idea on how to pay the little mechanical teddy bears back.

"Well my friend, Snowmeow and I should be on our way as well. I know that Ma-Mutt might not like that," Snowman smiled.

"He's enjoyed having a friend to play with. I appreciate your help old friend. Safe travels," Lion-O shook his hand. The large man headed out into the hallway and whistled. Snowmeow came running with Ma-Mutt right behind him.

"There you are. Hiding with Snowmeow huh?" Lion-O asked the pooch. The former horrible hound barked and then promptly jumped into the King's arms, licking his face.

"Yes, I've missed you too. Sorry that we haven't been able to play much," the lion smiled.

"No love for me? I see how it is," Cheetara pretended to be hurt and Ma-Mutt whined. Lion-O handed him over to the cheetah, who immediately received her doggie kisses.

"I have something that you two should see down in the Med Bay," Tygra approached them now that everyone else was gone.

"What is it?" Lion-O wanted to know.

"A long story and one I'd rather not share until we have some privacy," the orange tiger said. The two nodded and quickly the group headed down to the Med Bay. Lynx-O had heard the door open and stood at the entrance to Pumyra's room.

"Ah Lion-O, Cheetara, and Ma-Mutt," the lynx bowed his head as they approached.

"How are you Lynx-O?" Lion-O asked as Ma-Mutt went up for a pet on the head.

"Well. I think we've managed to come up with a name for the little one. Just need to run it by Ben-Gali first," the elder Thunderian smiled.

"That's excellent news. I think Ben went down to the hangar with Panthro and Lea," Cheetara said.

"They'll turn her into a grease monkey yet," Lynx-O chuckled. This gave them all a good laugh as he was probably right. Prior to the baby's emergency birth, Lea had split her time between the hangar and the Med Bay. Now it seemed she was back at it. They said their goodbyes and Tygra pulled them into the lab, where Technician First Class Molly Simmons was waiting. Ma-Mutt went to visit Pumyra.

"So, what's going on?" Lion-O asked.

"Well the genetic profile finally came back for Kimoni. It had actually been back for a few days but with everything going on…" Molly explained.

"We totally understand. Should we get Nkiru?" The King wanted to know.

"It might be best if I break whatever was found to her," Cheetara said. Lion-O nodded.

"Per the database, he was genetically predisposed to chemical imbalances. Wandering into the Forest of Silence or near the River of Despair in the middle of an episode of instability and…" Molly trailed off.

"So, it's possible that he committed suicide and then his remains were picked at by animals and the weather," Cheetara swallowed.

"I think so. Perhaps it was all too much. The destruction of Thundera coupled with finding you still alive probably put him in a vulnerable state," Molly nodded.

"He was acting strange before he disappeared," the cheetah said.

"I'm sorry that we weren't able to diagnose it. We might have been able to help him," Lion-O frowned.

"Not unless you had a trained psychologist and access to medicine. The medicine would have needed to be tailored to a Thunderian's physical makeup. Both would not have been quick to have and the possibility of Kimoni hurting himself or others was very real," Molly told them.

"Thank you for telling us," Lion-O smiled slightly. He and Cheetara left the two alone.

"Should we have told them what else it found?" Molly asked the tiger.

"Cheetara doesn't need to know how Kimoni killed himself. I wouldn't have even found it if you hadn't suggested where to look," Tygra said. Further close examination of the bones had proven that some of the marks near the wrists, that they thought were cause by animals were actually tool marks. The weapon had not been found at the scene but that didn't mean the marks hadn't been caused by something that had been there originally. The markings weren't enough to tell them what kind of tool and with no other evidence to the contrary, they would never know for sure. It was just an educated guess.

"You're probably right," Molly nodded.


	35. Chapter 35

The funerals were held over the course of a week. The Evil Chasers had gleaned all they could and the case was pretty much a slam dunk – they just had to find the perpetrators. As Mandora promised, the entire Interplanetary Control Force was on it. The evildoers wouldn't have much room to hide as the reach of the ICF was all across the galaxy.

"I'm exhausted," Lion-O said as he collapsed onto the bed in his room. It was after dinner on the day of the last funeral.

"Understandable. I'm not sure how many more funerals I could take. My heart is heavy for our new friends. Baki was their chance for a free Plundarr and now…" Cheetara shrugged before collapsing onto her side next to her fiancé. Lion-O took her hand and rolled over in order to be face to face with her.

"I'd like to hold a party where all of our friends could see us married but that seems highly inappropriate now," he told her. Pumyra was still recovering in the Med Bay along with her son, Timur, whose name meant "iron". The little one was a long way from being able to be held in his parents' arms but he was slowly on the mend.

"I agree. Perhaps in the spring?" She wondered.

"That would be a good way to get everyone out of their winter blues," Lion-O smiled.

"There is something we need to discuss," Cheetara said, something was obviously bothering her.

"What's up?" The lion grew concerned given the look on her face.

"As King and Queen, we will be expected to produce heirs. I am around Pumyra's age. Having children could be dangerous. Please don't take this to mean that I don't want to try, I just think we have to know what we could be in store for," the cheetah explained.

"I am going to be perfectly honest with you – I'd love to have kids but if they are not in the cards, they are not in the cards. I do not want you to sacrifice yourself for some sense of duty or because you feel it would make me happy. Things are different here on Third Earth. If we don't have kids, we just have to work out a line of succession. In fact we could get something together so that everyone knows the pecking order. That way there will be no question as to who does what," he told her.

"So no pressure? No matter what Snarf says? You're perfectly fine with Ma-Mutt as our only child?" Cheetara asked. That got the former Horrible Hound to give a little woof from his bed in a cozy spot in the corner of the room.

"I think he'd like that just fine," Lion-O chuckled before continuing, "No pressure. I just want everything to be natural for us. I know that my parents didn't have the same luck. I don't want to be raising a child on my own." Despite everything he had to do, King Claudus had tried to hide how hard it was to be a King and a father at the same time. It had not been easy and quite often Lion-O had been left to his own devices. The lion had wished that he'd been able to spend more time with his father, doing all the things that a child and a parent could do but it was never to be. That was something he didn't want for his children, if he had any.

"Well I'm glad that we talked about that. I just…" she started and stopped.

"That conversation with Nkiru the other day got you thinking didn't it?" He wondered.

"Yes it did. She is very strong but I can see her pain. She tries to hide it but Kimoni's actions have done damage that I'm not sure can be fixed. I alerted Lea and she's going to check up on her," Cheetara let him know.

"I'm glad that we have Lea here; someone who can help us through the mental aspects of things. No one thinks about that but when we come up against some of the things we have, it's good to know that you've got help if you need it," Lion-O smiled slightly before grabbing the cheetah around the waist and pulling her on top of him.

"It is good to have her here. I'm willing to bet that Panthro agrees," Cheetara smirked.

"Oh of that I am sure. Now before anyone needs anything else, I suggest we enjoy some time together," the lion waggled his eyebrows.

"You're incorrigible, my King," she teased. Ma-Mutt picked himself up off his bed, turned his face toward the wall and settled back in. It was going to be a long night.

**T****h****e** **E****n****d**


End file.
